Being a ninja
by MikaStarHiwatari
Summary: Mara is a strong ninja, daughter of Hamato Yoshi and Teng Shen. Which adventures await her?... MikeyxOC
1. I am Mara, daughter of Hamato Yoshi

**This is my new story with my most treasured character, Mara. I'll write this story all in this Present, because I feel like I can transmit more feelings that way.**

**This story is being re-written, as the original story totally sucked. I must warn that it is a really big story, but filled with humorous scenes and adventure.**

**I changed this 1****st**** Part because I noticed that if I go on like this, I won't have enough room to place all the other Parts from the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT (Pity...), or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**Mara's POV**

I'm at the top of one building wandering of what happened in my life.  
Shredder is dead. Some mutant turtles killed him. I was relieved that he died, but I wasn't able to revenge my father's death. My dear father... Hamato Yoshi was his name... And now he's gone, completely gone... I still remember the day he died as if it was yesterday...

*flashback*

Me and my father were training ninjitsu. I was only four at the time.

A strange noise came from the door. My father seemed to know what it was.

"Mara, get out of here!" He said.

"But, daddy..." I started.

"Just get out of here! Go to your uncle!" He ordered.

I was used to obey my father, so I ran as fast as I could to get to my uncle, even though I knew part of my heart was being left being.

wasn't my real uncle. In fact, he was actually an alien. I just liked to call him uncle because he was like part of my family. My father used to work for him as soldier, and I always went along, playing in all those labyrinth tunnels. I grew in there…

I got to the strange building where my father used to work and where my uncle lived. I was only a child, and I was so scared… Scared, because I knew something bad was happening. I couldn't help crying.

"Uncle! Daddy's in trouble! He told me to run away! I had to obey to him! I couldn't do anything!" I said, crying.

"I will go there! Stay here!" He said.

He started running towards my old house. It wasn't too far off from the building. I followed him after a short time. I was worried… I didn't want to wait.

When I got to my house, everything was just too quiet. I get terrified. I always knew very well silent meant trouble and pain. And pain did get to me… As I entered my old house, passing through the broken door, I found my uncle covering my father's corpse with a blanket. Tears steam down my face as I couldn't stop staring. The image I was seeing got deep into my memories, never to be forgotten again.

My father was dead… He was dead, and I was completely alone…

*end flashback*

I stayed living with my fake uncle ever since. He took care of me from the day my father's life was taken. But he had to go…

He had to part to his home planet. There was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't go with them, and now I am alone again…

He gave me something before he left. I take it from my pocket. It's a strange piece of something much bigger, but I have no idea what it is. My uncle only said I have to protect it from Shredder, and keep it close. But he's gone now, there is no reason for me to keep something that I don't know what it is. But still… My uncle did say for me to keep it close…

I place the piece in my pocket and get down the building, still thinking about that strange piece, and still troubled with that dreadful day's memories.

Suddenly I hear an unusual noise. Something like a door being broken… I go see where the noise is coming from.

I was right, a door is about to collapse.

The door falls to the ground and, when the dust sets from its fall, I can see who broke it.

Behind the fallen door is Shredder.

I can't believe my eyes.

He was dead…

He was supposed to be dead…

I stare at Shredder, horrified. He immediately looks at me, even though I tried everything to keep hidden. I can feel he's smirking, pleased. I don't like that. I should attack now and finish him once and for all. I can't keep rage and desire for revenge to haunt me.

A bunch of foot soldiers come out from the building where Shredder came from. There are hundreds of them!

I take my sword from my back and prepare myself to start fighting, even though I know they're too many for me.

Suddenly, 4 giant turtles come out from one alley. I freak out a little bit, but I can take the chance and start fighting with the Foot.

I was used to see weird creatures… And I did hear about them before. Nothing to be afraid of. If they are to become a threat, then I will fight them too.

Luckily, they fight alongside you against the Foot.

I must admit I fight pretty well. I trained a lot for this moment to come, and now nothing and no one would stay in my way!

"Hey! Looks like we have a helper here!" One of the turtles says, the one with orange bandana.

"Shut up an' fight, Mike!" The turtle with red bandana says.

Just great, talking turtles who know Ninjitsu. It won't be easy if I have to fight them in the end…

"Guys! We gotta get out of here! There're too many of them!" Says the turtle with blue bandana.

The turtles look at Shredder with a hateful look.

"We will meet again, Shredder!"The blue one says, turning his back and running away.

"Yes, we will" Says Shredder

Me and the Foot had stopped fighting because you were all looking to the turtles leaving. Only seconds later I realized I was fighting on my own again and I have to focus. I hold my sword tight.

"Now...Where were we? Oh yes. Attack her and bring me the piece!" Shredder screams to the Foot.

All of the foot jump on me, and I go back fighting.

*Damnit… So he wants the Piece... How does the Shredder know about the Piece?... Well, I'm not letting anyone put a hand on this piece!* I think, while I'm still fighting. Shredder is just staring at me. Maybe waiting for me to become tired... And boy, is he right! I start to feel every muscle complaining after some moments fighting, and the foot just keep coming and coming!

*I gotta get out of here!*I think, and that's exactly what I do. I guard my sword and start running as fast as I can, skipping through the Foot that were surrounding me.

"After her!" I hear.

Shredder and his soldiers are chasing me.

"Oh no…" I murmur.

I keep running for a while but they just simply don't give up! I turn right in a hope to lose them, but I just find myself in a dead end.

"Damnit!" I say.

I look around for someplace for me to hide in, but there is nothing! Then, I track a manhole on the ground, perfect for the escape. I open it quickly and get inside the sewers. I know that they will know I'm inside, so I just keep running through the tunnels.

After a few minutes, I stop a bit to rest and to recover my breath.

*I think they're gone now...* I wonder.

But some rocks collapse right next to me and Shredder along with the Foot come out from the hole.

"Missed us?" He says.

I start running again, not giving myself time to think twice, without even knowing where I'm going to...

**Mikey's POV**

I'm watching my older brothers walking from one side to other, thinking of what they've just seen.

"Stop that! I'm getting dizzy!" I say.

My brother with the red bandana, Raphael, turns to me and hits me on the head.

"How can you be so calm 'bout all this!?"Raph screams at me.

"Calm down Raph. This is no time to start a fight" Says the wise turtle, Donatello, the one with purple bandana.

"Yeah! Donny is right! We can't fight! Not with Shredder alive again!" Says Leonardo, the one with blue bandana.

"Boy! That guy has more lives than a cat!" Raph says.

"I wonder who that girl was... She was cute!" I say, sitting on the couch.

Raph hits me on the head again.

"How can you think 'bout girls right now?!" He says.

"Just... Thinking." I say, grinning. Raph hits me again.

"Ow! Hey! Stop it!" I say

"Ya! As soon as you grow up!" He says, hitting me again.

The lair's alarm stops our fighting. Leo and Don go running to the computer screen to see what's happening. Me and Raph go right next.

"What's the matter, Donny?" I ask.

"Looks like we have intruders!" He says.

"What?! How come?! Who is the intruder?!" Raph says.

"It's Shredder!"Leo says as soon as the screen shows the intruders.

"And the girl we saw fighting him!" I say.

"She seems to be in trouble! We better go help her!" Don says.

"What's the matter, my sons? Where are you going?"Master Splinter asks.

"Shredder is nearby following a girl. She needs our help, Master Splinter!"Leo says.

"Very well then. Go help her" He says.

We all get out of the lair. Master Splinter watches the computer screen, seeing the girl running. He looks surprised for some reason…

**Mara's POV**

I'm still running away from Shredder and the Foot and I'm really tired! I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold on…

I make the mistake of looking behind to see if they're getting tired as well, and I end up slipping in a rock and falling to the ground.

Shredder gets near me, triumphant. I start taking my sword from my back in order to fight, but Shredder stops it by hitting me, making me drop the sword.

He grabs my neck with a hand and lifts me from the ground. I can barely breathe!

He takes the piece from my pocket. I try to get it back but it's useless. I'm getting out of air!

Everything starts turning to black when the turtles I saw earlier appear and start fighting the Foot clan. One of them (the one with red bandana) hits Shredder and frees me from his grip.

I fall to the ground, unconscious.  
**  
Mikey's POV**

As soon as Raph hits Shredder, the girl falls to the ground. She passed out.

"Mikey! Take the girl out of here!"Leo says, fighting.

"Aw! Why me?!"

"Just do it Mikey!"

"Alright! Alright!"

I pick the girl from the ground and hold her in my arms. I start running towards the lair, being careful to look being to check if someone's following me.

When I get to the lair, I place the girl on the couch.

"Is that the girl?" Master Splinter asks.

"Yeah! I have to go help the others!" I say.

"No need, Mikey! They're already gone!" I hear Leo say.

I turn around to see the guys had come back.

"What?! You already killed all of them?!" I say.

"No, pipsqueak! They ran away when you took the girl!"Raph says, getting mad.

I ignore him and turn to see the girl. Donny is analyzing her.

"How is she doing?" I ask.

"She's just unconscious. She'll wake up sooner or later" Don says.

"So...Who is she? Why was she fighting Shredder and why did he follow her?!"Leo asks, but none of us knows the answers.

"I think I have the answers to your questions, my son "Master Splinter says.

"Really? You know who she is?" Don asks

"Yes. I think I do" Master Splinter says, sitting on the ground. We all sit around him to listen.

"My master, Hamato Yoshi, had a daughter. He named her Mara. After his wife, Teng Shen, was murdered, he came live to New York, where he raised little Mara for four years. After that, Shredder killed him, like I already told you. I could see that Mara was able to run away, before the Shredder arrived, but I don't know what happened to her after that" Master Splinter tells.

"So...This girl is Mara?" Leo says, thinking.

"Yes. She looks a lot like her mother" Master Splinter says.

"Mara... Pretty name!" I say.

I walk to the couch, while the others are still thinking about what Master Splinter said.

I watch the girl. She's really cute! With that long black hair and that soft light colored skin. She really looks like a porcelain doll.

As I watch her, the girl moans and slowly opens her eyes...

**Mara's POV**

I start to wake up, feeling my head pounding as if it's gonna blow. As I open my eyes, I see a giant turtle looking at me. I scream and sit up just way too fast. Result: My head hits the turtle's head and I fall back to the couch. The turtle falls to the ground, landing on his butt. I get up again, slowly this time, and see that I'm surrounded by four giant turtles and one giant rat.

"What the...?" I murmur.

"Stay calm, my child" The rat says

But I don't stay calm. I jump from the couch, take my sword out and place myself in position to fight.

"Guard your sword, child. There is no reason to fight" Says the rat.

"No reason to fight?! You're mutants and I don't even know who you are!" I say holding my sword.

"Yes, we are mutants. But we won't hurt you" The rat says.

"Yeah sure!" I say.

"It's useless! Tha girl will never calm down!" Says the turtle with red bandana.

"What do you want us to do, Master Splinter?" The blue one asks.

I guard my sword when I hear the name. I can't believe it. Splinter was the name of my pet rat when I was four...

"S-Splinter?..." I ask, still surprised.

"Yes, my dear. It is me" He says, smiling to me.

A smile comes to my face as I run to hug him.

"Oh I can't believe you're alive! And you really grew! You're big!" I say, while hugging the rat.

He laughs and I break the hug. I still have a big and adorable smile on my face. I look to the turtles.

"And who are they?" I ask.

"They are my sons"

"Sons?!"

"Yes. This is Leonardo..." He starts presenting the turtles.

"Good to meet you" The turtle with blue bandana says, bowing.

"Raphael..."Splinter continues.

"Yeah, whatever!" The turtle with red bandana says.

"Donatello..."

"Very nice to meet you" The turtle with purple bandana says.

"And Michelangelo" Splinter finishes.

"Hya there!" The turtle with orange bandana says, waving.

"I must thank you. You all saved my life" I say.

"That's funny... you didn't seem thankful a while ago!"Raphael says.

"That was just because I woke up in a strange place surrounded with strange mutants!" I say, sitting on the couch again.

"What happened to you after that terrible disaster?" Splinter asks referring to the day my father died.

The memories of that day haunt me again, making me look down to the ground.

"I... I went to my uncle...... Then we went back to my father's house but... it was too late" I say, almost crying.

"Poor child... What happened after that?" Splinter asks.

"I've been living with my uncle in New York ever since. But now... He left." I say.

"Right... and the Utroms went back to their home world when the building was starting to get invaded" Leonardo says.

"And then that huge explosion came along. How did you manage to escape such thing?" Don asks.

"I left as soon as the transport machine was finished. My uncle had already warned me they couldn't stay much longer, and he gave me the enough supplies for me to go on my own. I had enough time to say goodbye before you invaded the building" I look accusingly at them.

"That was only because our master was disappearing... The building was suspicious" Leo says.

"Anyways... After I escaped I watched the explosion happening and I ran away from the police before they could be able to find me in the crime scene. I've been living on my own since then"

"What was that thing Shredder took from you?"

"It's a strange piece my uncle gave me... But Shredder took it a while ago... I guess I failed on my mission to protect the Piece..." I say with my head down.

"What was that Piece exactly?" Don asks

"I don't know. All I know is that I have to get that Piece back!"I say, getting up.

"You need to train before you can defeat Shredder. You all need" Splinter says. I look at him.

"You will call me Master Splinter from now on. First I need to see what you already know. Donatello, you will fight Mara first" Master Splinter says.

I look to Donatello. He seems more of a nerd than a fighter but Master Splinter grabs a Bo staff and throws it to me. I catch it and walk to the place where I'll fight Don.

Donatello does the same, grabbing his own Bo Staff.

I place myself in position to fight grabbing the bo staff in a way to use it quickly.

Donatello does the same and we just stare at each other, waiting for the match to start. Don acts fastly. He runs to me, raising his staff to attack. I just stand still, waiting for him to reach me. When he starts lowering his staff to hit me, I use mine to impulse me above his head. I land behind him and immediately strike him on his back. He's still confused with the move I just made, but he turns around and starts attacking me. I evade every single attack. He starts to get a little ticked off and he attacks even harder.

*It's time to finish this!* I think.

I grab my bo staff firmly and attack my opponent, with major strength. He falls to the ground and I place my bo staff aimed to his neck, like it I'd if it was a sword.

"Very well done, Mara! Donatello, it was a good fight" Master Splinter says.

I help Don getting up and smile at him.

"It was a pleasure to fight you, Donatello" I say to him.

"Yeah, it was a pleasure to fight you too. Oh and you can call me Don or Donny, whatever you like best" He says, gasping for air.

"Ok, Donny" I say, smiling.

"Raphael, you're next" Master Splinter says.

"You're on!" Raph says, taking his sais off of his belt.

Splinter gives me two sais and I do some tricks with them before I get myself in a fighting position.

"Show off!" Raphael says.

I just smirk.

"Let's see who's the show off" I say.

Raphael immediately attacks me. I knew he would do something like that. The sound of metal crashing echoes through the lair when Raph reaches me. We stay face to face.

"So, you're the hot headed guy from the family" I say.

He pushes me away with his sais. I smirk at him, seeing that he's starting to get really mad. And that's exactly what I want.

"Are you gonna fight me or are you gonna let your ass be kicked by a girl?!" I say, still smirking.

That really ticked him off! He attacks me growling in the way. I evade his attack and start fighting him with my sais.

The room we're at echoes with the sound of metal crashing metal.

After some minutes of fighting, Raphael starts to get tired. I knew this would happen sooner or later.

"Anger sure can take lots of energy" I say

He attacks me with a final strike but I dodge it and counter-attack. I didn't want to hurt him so I just take his sais off his hands, throwing them away. I get one of my sais on his throat, finishing the battle.

"Dude!! That was awesome!!!" Says Mikey with a huge smile.

Raphael seems to be upset. Really upset. I look at him and shake his hand happily. He didn't seem to be waiting for this.

"It was a very good fight! You are a very good opponent!" I say, with a big smile.

"Ya sure. Yer' a pretty good fighta too" Raph says, smiling a bit. I free his hand and he goes to the couch.

"Michelangelo, you're next" Master Splinter says. Mikey's smile fades and he looks at me with a scary look.

"But I don't wanna fight her!"He begs.

"Michelangelo!" Master Splinter threats.

He delivers me two nunchuks. Mikey is still begging not to fight me.

"Come on, baby boy! I won't bite ya!" I say.

"C'mon Mikey! Ya'll have ta fight her soona or lata. An' think it tha good way. She's kinda cute!" Raph says. I approach him and hit him on the head, just like he does to Mikey.

"Ow!"

"Pervert!" I say.

Mikey is looking at me with his jaw dropped, then a big smile fills his face.

"WOW!!!!! No one ever did that to him! You're the best!" He says, hugging me tight.

"Ok ok turtle boy! You can free me now. I'm getting out of air!" I say

He frees me, still with his big smile.

"Shall we start the fight?" Master Splinter says.

"Yup!" I say, walking to the dojo where I'll fight Mikey.

He hesitates at first but then he also walks to the dojo. We place ourselves in position to fight. Master Splinter gives the sign to start the battle.

Mikey runs at me and when he's ready to attack, I jump above him getting a feet on his shell to impulse harder into the air.

He turns around, confused with my move. I look straight into his eyes and then I throw my nunchuks to the floor.

"No weapons" I say.

Everyone is confused with what I just did. Even Master Splinter is looking at me with a confused look. Fact is I never liked to fight with nunchuks.

Mikey just looks at me and then at my weapons on the floor. He smiles.

"Sounds good to me!" He says, throwing his own nunchuks off.

We get ourselves in position and we start our fighting without weapons. We run at each other and we start attacking. I kick Mikey's plastron but he strikes right back hitting me on my stomach. I fly back hitting the floor badly. I get up slowly.

"Not bad for someone who didn't want to fight!" I say, while I put yourself in position again.

"Very bad for someone who defeated Raph!" He says with a stupid grin.

I attack. I'm able to hit him on the face with my foot. He falls to the floor and tries to get back up but he's way too slow. I get my fist against his neck, preventing him from getting up. The battle finishes and I'm the winner. Still, my breathing is hard from the fighting. I help Mikey up.

"Hey! You ok?" I ask him

"Aw man! I lost... to a girl!" He says.

I hit him so hard on the head that he falls back to the floor.

"OW!!!! What was that for?!" He screams.

"Just protecting women's rights!" I say.

"Mara, do you think you can handle one more fight?" Master Splinter says

"Yes I can, Master Splinter."

"Very well then. Leonardo!"

"Yes, Sensei"

Master Splinter gives me two katanas. I smile. Finally some weapon I'm used to handle! I place myself in position: I grab a katana behind my back and the other is being held on my front. Leonardo seems intrigued with the way I just grabbed my katanas, but snaps out of it and grabs his own.

Splinter gives the signal. I run to Leo. There's a sound of metal crashing metal. Leo blocked my attack but I have already another one coming up. I'm very fast! All that Leo is able to do is block my attacks. I'm able to take one katana from his hand. Now he only has one. I keep attacking him and he just keeps blocking me with extreme difficulty. Besides being very fast, I'm also very strong in my attacks. All those trainings were worth it.

"Ready for the last roll?" I say, with a smirk on my face.

"Huh?" It's all he can say

I get his last sword flying from his hand and put my two katanas crossed in front of his throat.

"Wow..." I hear Mikey saying.

"Very well Mara!" I hear Master Splinter saying.

I take the swords out of Leonardo's throat. He sighs in relief.

"You're fast!" He says

"Thanks. It was a good fight, almost too good. Is there some free room? I'm tired…" I say, sweetly rubbing your eye.

"Sure! It's the last one above the stairs!" Don points to the free room.

"Thanks" I say walking to the free room. Once I get there, I turn around.

"Nighty, guys!"

"Night, Mara" They all say at the same time.

I smile and get inside my new room, closing the door behind me.

I throw myself to the bed on the center of the room. It was a harsh day. Many things happened. Changes sure will come by, hopefully for better. I fall asleep instantly.


	2. Kitty Girl

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

**Mara's POV**

I wake up with Mikey jumping on my bed.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty! Wake up!" He says, jumping.

I don't like to be awaked, so I am really mad! I make Mikey slip and he falls to the ground.

"Oooooooooowwwwwwww! What was that for?!"

"Next time, don't try to wake me up! Especially not that way!" I say

He gets up and walks to the door.

"Hurry up or you will lose breakfast!" He screams.

"Ok Ok! I'm coming!" I get up and start walking to the kitchen with Mikey.

Leo, Master Splinter, Raph and Don are already there, eating.

"Morning!" I say, while Mikey sits in a chair and grabs a box of cereal.

"Finally! We had to send Mikey to wake you up!" Raph says

"Next time don't! Or he'll suffer the consequences!" I give Mikey a threatening look.

He almost gets out of air when one cereal goes in the wrong way. Leo had to kick him in the shell.

"Ugh! Thanks Leo" He says, when he gets some air again.

I sit and start eating, as if nothing happened. When I finish eating, I notice that the guys prepare themselves to start training. I go to my room and grab my sword. I look at it like it is a treasure.

Actually, it really is a treasure. It was my father who gave it to me when I was still three…

*Flashback*

I and my father were training. I didn't know how to fight very well. After all, I was still three years old. My father laughed when I fell to the floor, after trying to kick him with a foot.

"No funny, daddy!" Little Mara said.

"Hey come here" My father called.

I got up and walked to him.

"Wow!" I said, amazed. A beautiful katana was lying on my father's hands. He delivered it to me, careful not to cut my little hands.

"To me?" I said, grabbing the sword with extreme careful.

"Yes. One day you will be able to use it, and until that day, train hard and promise me that you will never give up. Promise that you will never stop smiling"

"I promise, daddy. But don't ya think it's too many promises to make?"

My father laughed again and rubbed my head affectionately.

*end flashback*

I shake my head, to get the memories away. I hate when I remember my daddy. It always makes me sad, and I promised I'd always smile. I shake my head again. I run down the stairs and stop at the dojo, where the turtles are training. I ask Master Splinter if I can train with them.

"But of course, my dear" He answers. I put a big smile on my face again.

I and the guys practice the whole morning. At lunch, I eat a bunch of pizza and then I and Mikey go play videogames during the whole afternoon. Leo was meditating, Don was in his computer and Raph was kicking his punching bag. This seemed to be the routine, and I had nothing against it. It was peaceful to have a routine in my life again.

I just finished winning against Mikey for the 10th time.

"One more game!" He says.

"No way Mikey! I already beat you 10 times!"

"Afraid to lose?" He says, with a smirk on his face.

"To you? No way!" I say, grabbing the remote.

**Mikey's POV**

Mara won to me again and again and again. We are now starting the 25th game and I haven't won a single game! *Damn! How can this girl be so good in these games!?* I think.

"Giving up, already?" She asks.

"Never!" I answer.

We continue our games until it's night. After winning again, Mara looks to the moon, through a window. I have to admit: she's pretty cute.

"It's full moon night" She says, then she acts like something hit her.

"It's full moon night! Quickly! What time is it?!" She was panicking for some reason.

"It's 11.47" Don answers.

"11:47!? Ok! I'm going to get some sleep! Nighty!" She says while she gets up, runs to her room and closes the door. We just stare to the door for a while.

"Girls!"Raph says. We all go back to what we were doing.

**????'s POV**

I watch the city with my kitty eyes, looking for my pray. I'm at the top of one building, looking down to New York City.

My name is Kitty Girl and I'm a thief catcher at the full moon nights. Best nights to hunt…

I notice I have a pray on a back alley. The purple dragoons are "playing" with a girl.

Well, their game is about to finish. I jump from building to building like a feline, until I reach the alley where the creeps are.

"Heya gentlemen! I hope I'm not interrupting anything" I say while I stay upside down looking at the creeps.

They stop what they were doing and look at me. Their faces are trembling with fear. My name is already known around these bands…

"I won't hurt you guys much if you just free that girl" I say.

But the stupid creeps grab the girl and expect to use her as a hostage.

"*sigh* Can't say I didn't warned ya!" I say, taking out my "claws".

I attack them, being careful not to hurt the girl. In a couple of minutes, they are all unconscious. I grab the girl and take her through the air, jumping through the buildings.

"Where do ya live?" I ask her.

"On the next building, over there" She says.

"Rightyo!" I say, and continue jumping with the girl.

I stop right in front of the girl's house. I drop her there and start leaving.

"Wait! Huh, Thank you" She says.

I give her a smile.

"You're welcome! Gotta go! Nya!" I say, leaving.

The rest of the night was a little boring. The creepsoids of the thieves heard rumors of me and as they are all such chicken, they don't dare to come out at night!

"Oh well! Better get lost than get rocked!" I say, laughing.

**Shredder's POV**

My evil plan is working perfectly. is now preparing the portal machine. Soon, I will travel to any planet I want. It is time to put the last Piece, which is in my hands. I place it in the hole and.... nothing happens.

"Stockman!!!" I scream.

"Maybe the piece isn't well putted, sir. Let me..." He starts saying.

"Of course it's well placed!! It must be something else that's not working!!" I scream.

I take the piece out of the machine again. I look at it. Letters start to appear in the Piece:

"If you want to use this Piece, a "key" you must find. The "key" is something pure and it will be found within something pure"

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggg!!!!!!!" I roar.

"What's written in there?" asks.

"Read for yourself!" I say, throwing him the Piece.

"We must find where that "key" is hidden! We won't rest until we find it!"

**Mara's POV**

I'm getting down the stairs to take breakfast.

"Morning, guys!" I say with a big smile on my face.

"Morning, Mara" They say

"You know, Mara? I've been thinking about something..." Don starts.

I get my hands behind my head, giving me a relaxed look.

"What have you been thinking about, Donny?" I ask.

"If your uncles left a year ago... then you haven't gone to school this whole year" He says.

"Good point there, Don!" I say.

"Do you want me to tutor you?"

"No thanks!" I say quickly "I'm happy the way I am!"

Mikey starts to laugh.

"See, Donny?! I told you I wasn't the only one hating school!" Mikey says.

"Yeah sure, whatever!"Don says

I sit at the table and start eating breakfast.

Raph is now watching TV.

"That stupid cat girl showed up again!" He says.

"Why do you say she's stupid?!" I say.

"'Cause she's always hidin' her identity! And we can see she's a human! Why does she continue dressin' like a cat?! It's not like it's Halloween!" Raph says.

"Look who's talking? You too wear a costume at night and title yourself as NightWatcher!" Leo says.

I start leaving to my room, slowly. That isn't going to be a good fight! And I don't want them to find out I'm Kitty Girl.

Yes, I am Kitty Girl. And nobody knows about that.

I became Kitty Girl just before my uncle left. I remember he used to be against it, but what could he do? I always found a way to escape the building at full moon nights.

I couldn't attack the thieves without a mask or they would call for revenge, and I always admired cats…

Anyway anyhow! Now I'm Kitty Girl on the full moon nights and Mara on the rest of the time! It's kinda fun to have two personalities. I can do whatever I want as Kitty Girl. It gives me the freedom I always wanted. I smile, sitting on the bed.

Then I notice something: There's someone behind me...

I turn around fastly, getting scared and nearly screaming when I see Master Splinter is right in front of me. He smiles.

"Had a good night?" He asks.

I already knew that he would be the first one to find out, so it's useless to hide that I skipped last night.

"A very nice one, Master Splinter!" I answer.

He smiles again.

"Good to hear that" He says, leaving the room.

I smile too, relying on my bed and thinking on what I could do next. I decide to go play videogames with Mikey. I get to the dojo where Leo and Raph are fighting. Mikey and Don are looking at them.

"I bet 20 bucks on how Leo is going to win" Mikey says to Don.

I walk to them.

"Mikey! Come and play videogames with me!" I say, pulling his arm.  
"Cool!!!" He says.

We both run to the TV and put the game on. We grab our remotes.

"Don't lose too much this time!"I say.

"Heheh, don't worry I won't!" He says.

I stare at the screen. Mikey put a game that I don't know how to play!

"Hey! Not fair!" I say.

"It's fair enough! You chose the game the last time we played. And you won!" He says.

I just make an angry face, but start the game anyway. Obviously, I lost. Still, Mikey's celebrating.

"This game wasn't fair! I want a rematch!" I say.

"Nah! You're just mad because I won!"

I hit him on the head.

"Duffers! I just said it wasn't fair 'cause I didn't know how to play!"

"I keep thinking that you're just jealous that I won."

"Jealous?! Of you?! Keep dreaming, duffers!"

"Yeah but you are jealous, missy! You just don't want to admit it!"

"Rrrrrrrgggg! You're impossible! I already told you that I'm not jealous!"

"Liar!"

The fight continues for a while. Leo and Raph stop fighting just to look at us two. Our fighting was getting even more serious than theirs. But I finally decide to finish it all. I hit him hard in the head.

"I hate you!" I say.

I walk to my room, conscious that every step I take seems like an earthquake. I shut the door with extreme racket, leaving four turtles looking at the closed door.


	3. Duffers!

**I have changed the other two chapters before this one, so you better go check what got different.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

**Mara's POV**

I wake up with Mikey's laughs. I slowly open my eyes and get in shock! Everything is upside-down!

"MIKEY!!!!!!!" I scream, really mad.

This only made him laugh harder. I'm tied upside-down, my arms completely immobilized by the ropes. Leo, Raph and Don come to see what is happening.

"Wow!! How come ya were able ta get her in there?!"Raph says, looking at me.

"It was easy!"Mikey says.

"Mikey!!!!!! When I get outta here I'm gonna KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!"I scream.

"Too bad you're not getting out of there so soon!"Mikey says, laughing more.

"Donny! Let me outta here!" I say, trying to free myself.

"Hm... I must admit the ropes are very well tied up..." Don says, with a hand on his chin.

"Don!!!" I scream.

"Sorry, Mara!" He says

"Rrrrrgggg! Raph?" I say.

"No way! It's bein' fun seein' ya upside-down! Fer tha first time, Mikey had a good idea!"Raph says.

"Hey!"Mikey says.

"I can't believe you guys! Leo?" I say, now almost begging.

"Sorry Mara"Leo says.

"Aw! Come on! Ok, Mikey! Tell me, what do you want?!" I give up.

"I want you to apologize for yesterday!" Mikey says.

"What?! You're the one that has to apologize, not me!!" I scream.

"But there's a little difference between us! You're upside down and I'm not!"He says.

"Rrrrrrrrrrgggggggg!!!!!!!! I hate you Mikey!!!!"

"I hate you too, Mara!"

"Very well, duffers! I'm sorry! Now free me!"

"Huh? I don't think I heard you!"

"Don't push it, Mikey!" I say, showing all of my teeth.

"Ok ok!"Mikey says.

He frees me from the ropes, but I hit the floor. As soon as I get up, I hit Mikey really hard on the head. He falls to the ground, his head hitting the floor. I go take breakfast. Raph looks to Mikey who's still on the floor.

"Ya weren't thinkin' that ya would skip that, were ya?"Raph says, helping Mikey up.

After my breakfast, I get out of the lair and notice a box full of skates standing another skate on the right side of the box.

An idea gets to my head. I'm gonna get my revenge!

I pick the skate that is on the side of the box and ride on it. I skate through the sewers looking for the right place.

I finally find it: A big waterfall falling to a huge swirl.

I start skating faster towards the waterfall. On the last minute, before falling to the water, I jump out of the skate and land on ground just in time to hear the skate splashing in the water.

"Oops... What a pity... It seemed such a good skate! Hahahah!" I say.

I walk back to the lair to give the terrible news to Mikey. I walk right strait to him.

"I'm sorry, Mikey! Guess your skate was taken by the water" I say, with a fake sadness.

"WHAT??????!!!!!!!!!"

He runs out of the lair. I sit in the couch, with a triumphant smile, and turn on the TV. A while later Mikey appears with an extremely angry face.

"You broke my favorite skate!!"He screams to me.

"Aaawww! It was your favorite? Sorry about that..." I say, making a fake sad face.

"You did it on purpose!!!"

"No, I didn't and you can't prove it!"

"I hate you!"

"I hate you too!"

He walks back to his room. But before he could hit the door, I show him my tongue.

**Mikey's POV**

I wake up, sitting on the bed. I think about what happened last day and anger takes over me again.

*I can't believe she ruined my favorite skate! And I was starting to like her!* I think. But then I have an idea. I run down the stairs. Mara isn't there yet.

"Great!" I say.

I fill a container with water and take it to Mara's room. The door was semi open, so I push it and get in. Mara is sleeping like a baby.

I slowly get close to her and stay watching her for a while.

*She looks like an angel when she's asleep... But when she's awake... She's a true demon!* I think.

Suddenly, I throw all the water over her.

**Mara's POV**

SPLASH!!!!

I wake up suddenly and all wet. Before I could even open my eyes, I scream:

"MIKEY!!!!!!!!!!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!"

I hear him running out of the room.

"Oh no, you won't!!" I scream, running after him.

He runs out of the lair and I follow him. He grabs a skate from the box and rides on it. I do the same.

After a while of chasing Mikey, I lose him, when he turns to another tunnel.

"Miiiiikeeeey!! Come out come out, wherever you are!" I say.

I keep looking for Mikey for some more minutes, but I give up and start having fun skating.

I do flips, doubles flips and all kinds of jumps. I smile when I see a perfect tunnel to do a triple flip.

I get in the tunnel and do a perfect triple flip. Unfortunately, Mikey is skating on the other side of the tunnel. I don't see him and continue skating at high speed...

CRASH!!!!!

Me and Mikey crash into each other and fall to the ground. The two skates go flying, God knows where.

Me and Mikey sit up on the floor, at the place where we fell. We look at each other and both start laughing at each other's looks.

"Hahahahahah! You look like a hippy! Hahahahah" He says, between laughs.

"And you look like a fried turtle!" I say, still laughing.

Suddenly, we hear two roars. Me and Mikey place a hand on our stomachs.

"I'm hungry!" We both say.

We laugh a bit more.

"Friends?" He asks, offering me his hand to shake.

"Friends" I accept and shake his hand.

We smile at each other and get up, walking back to the lair and ignoring the fact that both the skates are screwed up.

*It's amazing! I don't even remember the reason why we were fighting!* I think.

We get in the lair. Leo looks at us two.

"Good to see you're still alive!" He says.

Me and Mikey ignore him and go eat some pizza, as if we haven't ate for months. Then we sit in the couch, really close to each other.

"Ya two are sickenin' lovebirds, ya know!" Raph says.

Me and Mikey blush.

"Are not!" We both say.

"April asked us to watch her store for the night and she really wants to meet Mara" Leo says.

"Righyo!" I say, jumping from the couch.

Leo smiles and goes call Don. We all go to April's store.

It's already night and no one can see us. We're jumping from building to building, until we get to the place. The turtles start getting in an open window. I presume it is April's house. I get through the window too.

A woman and a man are there greeting the four turtles.

"Oh! And you must be Mara!" The woman walks to me.

"I am! And you must be April! It's very nice to meet you!" I say, bowing.

"Wow. You really are Hamato Yoshi's daughter. I heard so much about you! Especially from Mikey" She says.

"Really, huh? And what did he say?" I ask.

"He said you were very cute, nice and really strong and that you were able to beat up Raph and Leo. And he also said he thought you could be the..." She says, but gets interrupted by Mikey. He puts a hand on her mouth so she can't talk more.

"And that one over there is Casey! Wanna come there and meet him?!" He says, with a huge fake smile on his face.

"Huh... Sure!" I say.

Mikey nearly dragged me to where Casey is.

"You must be Mara! I'm Casey!" He says, shaking my hand.

"Very nice to meet you" I say.

"Thanks for staying the night, guys. I really need to go out" April says.

"And I'm going with her to make sure she doesn't get hurt!"Casey says.

"Why don't ya two just admit yer goin' on a date togetha?"Raph says.

April and Casey blush.

"Well! We should get going! Take good care of the store!"April says, while she drags Casey to the door and closes it.

Me and the turtles sigh.

"I'm doing the first round" Leo says, getting down the stairs to the store.

Me and Mikey sit on the couch and watch TV. Raph and Don go to the kitchen, probably to get some pizza.

~2 hours later~

Me and Mikey are now sleeping, our heads on each other's shoulders. Leo comes back from the store and sees us.

"Aw! Aren't they cute?!" He says-

"Like I said. They're two sickenin' lovebirds!" Raph says.

~Some minutes later~

Someone is shaking my shoulder. I mumble and turn around.

"Come on Mara! Wake up!" It's Donny's voice.

"Um... huh?" I say, still waking up.

"It's your time to check the store" He says.

"Ask Mikey to do it" I say, rubbing my eyes.

"You're gonna do it together. You two are the last ones" He says.

"Ok ok..." I say, getting up.

"Mikey is already down there"

"Ok"

I get down the stairs to the antique shop. The place is filled with the most wonderful things I've ever seen in my life.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Mike asks.

"Yeah!"

"And you should see the Japanese part!"

"Where?"

"Over there"

I walk to the place where the Japanese things are. It is a wonder! There are things there that remember my childhood.

"You Japanese, right?"

"Right!"

"That's cool!"

"Yeah! I think it is!"

We keep watching the store when we hear a crash outside.

Me and Mikey run outside. Our jaws drop. In front of the store there are a bunch of Foot soldiers!

"There she is!" One of them says.

The foot attack! We block their attacks the best we can. There are so many of them and they all seem to be trying to catch me!

"We need help!" I say to Mikey, who was now on my side.

"Do you scream or do I?" He asks.

"Both" I answer.

"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" We both scream.

Almost immediately, the other three turtles appear on the front door of the store.

"What's goin' on?!"Raph screams, but then he sees the bunch of Foot soldiers. "Alright! Time ta kick some shell!!" He says and attacks.

We all attack the Foot for a long time, and the Foot actually seem to be wanting to grab me!

I'm now trying to free myself from one Foot ninja.

"Ah!! Let go of me!!" I say.

But the ninja keeps holding me and dragging me somewhere. Fortunately, Mikey notices I'm not fighting and goes to look for me. He sees me, when I'm still fighting to free myself.

"Hold it right there!" He says, attacking the foot soldier and getting him unconscious.

"You ok?" Mikey asks-

"Yeah, I think so" I say.

"Then let's go! Bros need help!" He says

We run back to the fighting area, fighting the last Foot remaining. All the other Foot are dead, unconscious or just ran away.

"Wow! Why were so many Foot soldiers here?" Don asks, but gets no response.

"I think they were after me" I say.

Everyone looks at me.

"Why? Shredder already has the piece you had! Why would they be after you again?" Don asks.

"I dunno... But... Long time ago..." I start telling.

*Flashback*

I was six years old at the time.

"Mara! Come here!" I heard my uncle call.

I let go of what I was doing and ran to where my uncle was.

"Yes, uncle?" I said, with my cute childish smile.

My uncle was looking out the window, so I couldn't see his face.

"Are you pure, Mara?" He asked, calmly.

"I think so... But why do you ask, uncle?" I asked.

He turned around, smiling softly. It wasn't a regular smile... It was somewhat sad... and worrying...

"I think you're pure enough" He said and took out of his pocket some kind of a lightning marble. I thought, as an innocent little child, that the marble was beautiful.

"Ohhh! What's that, uncle? It's beautiful!" I said.

"This, Mara, is what we call the "key", and it's something very pure" My uncle said.

"Really? It's gorgeous!" I couldn't take my eyes of the marble.

"Yes. And as a pure thing, it needs to be protected against the dark things... inside something pure" He said.

"Oh! So that's why you asked me if I was pure! But... How're you gonna put that inside me?" I innocently asked.

"You'll see" He said.

The lightning marble started getting inside of me, more properly, inside my heart. It didn't hurt or anything. I even thought that it was cute to see such a thing: a marble getting inside me. It felt warm as the marble installed in my heart. It was a strange felling.

My uncle sighed.

"The "key" is safe now" My uncle said. "Listen to me very carefully, Mara. This "key" carries with it a great responsibility, along with a great power... I had no other choice but to place it inside of you, even though you are still so young... I have faith in you, Mara, that you will be able to live with the "key" inside of you and learn how to control its power"

"Thanks, uncle, but... how do I get it out?" I asked.

"I hope that won't be necessary, little Mara" He said, with a soft smile.

"Really? Why? And why do you call it "key"? Does it open a treasure chest?"

"You sure know how to do lots of questions"

"I'm a curious girl!"

My uncle laughed.

"You will find out one day" He said, smiling.

*end flashback*

"So... You have a marble inside you?" Mikey asks.

"Kinda, yeah" I say.

"But why do they want that "key"?" Leo asks.

"I dunno..." I answer.

"Maybe to open something!" Mikey says.

Raph hits him on the head.

"You're always such a genius, Mikey!" He says.

"You know, he is kinda right!" Don says.

"Right! They want to open something. We just don't know what it is!" Leo says.

"So we will have to find out!" I say.


	4. Falling for him

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

**Mara's POV**

Weeks pass by and I can't find out what the "key" opens. The Foot haven't made a single move either, so everything is becoming a little boring around here.

Of course me and Mikey had fights during this past weeks, but we always finish making up. I am starting to believe that I'm falling for him... What?! No way! I can't fall for Mikey! He's a duffers!

Tonight is full moon. I just can't wait to have fun kicking some thieves.

Today is training day.

Me and the turtles are now training our equilibrium. We're up on some sticks. The first one falling loses! Of course we can fight with each other to make them fall!

For now, everything is calm. I'm standing on my stick with closed eyes. I feel a movement. It strikes. I strike back and something falls to the ground, making it a little hard to keep on the sticks. I open my eyes. Raphael is on the floor.

"One down, three to go!" I say.

Master Splinter is watching us closely. Raphael gets up and walks to his punching bag. I close my eyes again and concentrate. Another movement! But this one is more cautious. He attacks. I'm forced to move to another stick. Knowing that he is still on the same stick, I attack.

I hit him and he loses his balance, falling. I open my eyes again. This time is Donatello who's on the floor. I look up to my next opponents. This time I'm making the first move. I start jumping from stick to stick, until I get to Mikey. I strike, but he evades and strikes back. I almost lose my balance, but I manage to get on a stick.

"I know you far too well!" He says, grinning.

"Oh yeah?" I say.

I jump next to him again. But this time I don't strike, I tickle him. He laughs so hard he loses his balance and falls to the ground.

"Hey! That's not fair!!" He screams from down there.

I throw my tongue at him. He throws his tongue at me and leaves to the TV.

I look to my fourth and last opponent: Leonardo. He hadn't made a single move since the fight started. I get close to him to see if he moves, but nothing. I try my luck and attack. He grabs my fist, even with closed eyes. I'm in complete shock. He throws my fist back. I'm able to keep my balance. Leo is still in the same place, without moving. This time I attack faster, but he evades every attack. He strikes and hits me. I lose my balance and fall.

"Ow!" I say when I hit the floor.

Leo gets down the stick he was on. I get up and go to him.

"How could you do that with closed eyes?!" I ask.

"I just concentrate" He answers.

"But I concentrate too and I can't do that!"

"Try to meditate more. That helps."

"I don't have patience for that" I say

"It can be really useful"

"Maybe I'll try it someday"

He smiles and I smile too.

"Go and eat something before our second exercise" Master Splinter says.

"Yes, sir!" I say and run to get pizza.

Mikey was already eating. We eat a whole pizza all by ourselves. When we're finished, we walk to the lair's door, where Master Splinter is waiting. Leo, Raph and Don are already there.

"Mara already knows the sewers as well as we do, so she can compete!" Don says.

"Since ya two were tha last arriving, yer gonna be tha firsts!" Raph says.

"Aw! That's not fair!" I say.

"Nothing's fair!" He says.

"You two are going to make a race through the sewers. There are arrows showing the way. The first one getting back wins. Now, get in position" Master Splinter says.

Me and Mikey get in our positions.

"Hey Mikey! Let's make this more interesting! If I win, you get to be my slave for two weeks! And if you win..." I say.

"You get to kiss me!" He says.

"What?!?!?!" I shout.

"On the cheek, of course!" He says, fastly.

"Oh! Deal!" I say.

"On your positions! Get ready! Go!" Leo says.

Me and Mikey start to run.

We run through tunnels and more tunnels, always near to each other. Until we see the lair's door again. We start running faster. But Mikey is the one arriving first.

I stop running and try to get some air. Mikey is celebrating.

"I won! I won! I won!" He says, jumping. Then he looks at me with a big smile.

"And I want my prime!" He says.

"Oh! Ok! Ok!" I walk to him and close my eyes.

I kiss him lightly on the cheek. When I open my eyes again, Mikey has his face all red and he's with a dreamy expression.

"Mikey?" I ask. No answer.

"Mikey?" I repeat. Still no answer.

"Mikey!!!!" I scream.

He seems to wake up, finally!

"Huh? What?" He says.

"You ok?" I ask.

"I'm fiiiiiiiine!" He says, still with the dreamy look.

I am about to ask him something else, but I remember something.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"It's 11:30" Leo says.

"It's late! Can I get some sleep, Master Splinter?" I ask. Master Splinter smiles, knowing what I'm going to do.

"Very well, Mara. You can go to sleep, and you, my sons, have to go make the patrol" Master Splinter says.

"It's a pity you don't want to come with us, Mara! We can find out something about that "key"!" Mikey says.

"I'm sorry, Mikey, but I'm tired!" I say, getting upstairs.

"You're still on time to come!" He says.

"No, thanks!" I say, closing my room's door.

I get out of the sewers through a window that's in my room. I run and jump until I reach the building where I hide my Kitty Girl stuff.

I get dressed and make my ponytails and get my cat ears on, then the final touch. I make a special Japanese spell to change my face. My father taught it to me. The spell changes my eye color and makes me look like I have fangs. It's only an illusion, but it only disappears when I want it to.

I get up again and track some Foot ninjas robbing a weapon store.

"Righyo! Time to kick some shell!"

**Kitty Girl's POV**

I approach the foot slowly so they don't know I'm there. I get closer to a Foot and catch him from the back, stopping him from screaming. I do this to other Foot soldiers, until there's only a few of them. All the others are unconscious.

"Hya there! Having a party and didn't invited me? Oh! I feel so ashamed!"I say, with fake sadness.

The Foot soldiers immediately stop what they are doing and start fighting me. I dodge their attacks and knock them all down, one by one. When the last one falls unconscious, I hear a scream. I jump from building to building until I get to the place. My jaw drops. Shredder and the Foot ninja are robbing an antique shop (No, not April's).

I shake my head and take a sudden jump on the Foot.

Out of nowhere, the Foot are attacked! I manage to hit some of the Foot with my claws. But then Shredder approaches me and grabs my neck.

"You committed a terrible mistake!" He says, grabbing my neck harder.

"Hold it right there!!" We hear Leo say.

Shredder lets go of me and I fall to the ground, breathing heavily. Shredder runs to the turtles and attacks. They all start fighting.

I get up and start fighting some Foot. Hun is there too. I run to him and attack!

He blocks it and I continue fighting with him.

"Why are you having a party with all these special guests?! I thought you were the one doing the dirty job!!" I say, attacking.

"Rrrrrrrrrrr!!! Who are you?!?!" He screams.

"You actually think I'm gonna tell you?" I say.

I hit him hard on the stomach with my claws. He falls to the floor.

I turn to face Shredder. The turtles are still fighting him. Shredder makes Mikey fly against a wall. I run to him.

"Mikey!! You ok?" I ask.

"How do you know my name?" He asks, but then passes out.

Now I am really mad! I run to Shredder and attack. I hit him in the arm, but no blood comes out. Well, he is a robot! The alien is inside his stomach. I try to hit him there, but he pushes me to the floor. I can see a smirk under his helmet. A thought goes through my head: *Does he know who I am?*

"Let's go! I already have what I wanted!" He screams to the remaining Foot.

They run away with some kind of box. But I don't have time for that. Raph attacks me! I am able to jump to the top of the building just in time.

"What are you thinking?! I'm not your enemy!" I scream.

"We can neva have total sure!!" He screams and prepares himself to jump to the place where I am, but Don stops him.

"Your voice is familiar... Do we know you?" Don asks

"Nop! And even if I did know ya, I wouldn't tell you!" I say.

"Why not?" Leo asks.

"Forget it!" I say.

"No, we don't forget it! Why were ya fightin' tha foot?! What business do ya have with them?!"Raph asks.

"My! My! My! You do make lots of questions!!" I say.

"Rrrrrrrrrr!!!" Raph roars

"Very well, turtle boy! I hate the Foot because they killed my father! Is that reason enough?!" I scream.

Mikey starts to moan and wakes up. I look at him.

"Good to see you're awake" I say.

"What do you care?!" Raph screams

"I don't! But there are people who do!" I scream and run away.

"WAIT!!!!!!!" I hear Mikey saying, but I continue running through the buildings. He's following me.

"Wait!" He repeats.

This time, I stop. We are already distant from the other turtles.

"What do you want?!" I ask him.

"How do you know my name?" He asks. A genius lie comes to my head.

"Mara told me!" I say.

"You know Mara?!"

"Yup! Yup! She's a great friend of mine!"

"Really?"

"Really!"

"She never told me she knew you"

"That's because she didn't want ya to press her to tell you who I am!"

"What did Mara told you about me?"

"You actually think I'm going to tell you?! Please! Mara's my best friend! I would never tell her secrets to anyone!"I say

"But-" He starts

"Gotta go now! Nya!" I say and jump to another building, leaving him behind.

I jump and jump, until I can't see him anymore. I jump back to where I have my real clothes. Once I'm there, I change back to Mara.

"Mara?! What are you doing in here?"

I nearly have a heart attack! I put a fake smile on my face and turn around.

"Mikey! What are you doing here?" I say

"I asked first! What are you doing in here?" He repeats.

"I... huh... I'm just getting some fresh air!" I say

"You're a terrible liar!"

"Oh! I know!"

"Weren't you sleeping at the lair?"

"Couldn't sleep! So I came here to greet my friend, Kitty Girl."

"Kitty Girl! Where is she?! I came following her but I lost her!"

"You came following her?! Are you nuts?! Why were you following her?!"

"I wanted to find out who she is... Wait! Why were you here again?"

"To visit Kitty Girl!"

"Hmmm..."

Mikey looks at me, thinking.

"What?!" I shout.

"Are you Kitty Girl?"

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!?!?! YOU'RE SUCH A DUFFERS!!!!" I scream.

"Ok! Ok! You're not Kitty Girl!"

"Of course I'm not!"

"But it's still suspicious..."

"Mikey! Aren't your brothers worried about you?! You should get back!"

"Yeah!! And so should you!"

Silence moment.

"Why are we always fighting?" Mikey says.

"Dunno! Maybe because we were born to fight with each other!"

"Don't play with this!!"

"Uuuuuhhhhh! Mikey's acting like a grownup! Ah! The world is coming to an end!!"I say.

"I said not to play with this!!"

Mikey grabs my arms and stands really close to me. I can feel my face turning red. I was never so close to Mikey in my life!

Mikey looks into my eyes for a while, then leans in to me and kisses my lips.

I stay in complete shock! I wasn't waiting for this!! But the shock starts disappearing and I let myself go by the feelings I was holding inside...

I return the kiss and place my hands on his chest.

When we break the kiss, both of our faces are beating red!

We then realize what had just happened. We both jump to opposite sides, turning our backs at each other.

"T-this didn't happen!" Mikey says.

"O-of course not!" I say.

"F-fine!"

"Fine!"

Mikey gets down the building and I can see him getting into a manhole. I sit up on the floor.

"What was that about?!"

I get back to the lair an hour later. When I get there, Leo, Raph and Don are sleeping on the couch. Probably they fell asleep while watching a movie. Mikey was nowhere to be seen. It was good to be that way. I walk to my room and close the door behind me. Suddenly, I feel a sharp pain in my heart. Like it was being trespassed by a sword. It was unbearable! I fall to my knees and faint.

~Next Morning~

I wake up it a huge headache. I get up from the floor and shake the dirt off my clothes. I walk to the kitchen to get breakfast. None of the guys are still there. Good, because I don't want to see Mikey neither. I have a feeling that if we see each other, we will start fighting again.

I get a box of cereals and start eating. I hear doors opening.

"Oh! Hi, Mara! You got up pretty early today" Leo says.

"Yeah. Couldn't sleep" I say.

I can hear him waking up his brothers, while I'm still eating.

I finish eating and was about to leave to my room when I see Mikey right in front of me.

I act like I haven't seen him and pass through him.

"G'morning to you too!" He screams.

I just glare.

"What's wrong with you?! It looks like you've eaten rotten pizza!!" He laughs

"What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with you, duffers?! You're the one who looks like you've eaten rotten pizza!!" I scream at him.

"I was only trying to get you cheerful again!!" He screams.

"Well next time don't! You only make it worse!"

The fight continues for a long time. My feeling was right, after all.

"I HATE YOU!!!!!"I scream and, this time, I smack him in the face.

He seems surprised and scared for me to have smacked him in the face, instead of hitting him on the head. He looks at me, with a scared face.

I am crying, but I'm still mad. I turn my back at him and run to my room. I shut the door behind me, lock it and sit on the ground, still crying. I get my head on my knees.

*I'm sorry, daddy. I'm not able to keep my promise any longer* I think.

I'm crying just because of Mikey. I'm crying for all the bad things that have happened to me before.

I keep crying for a couple of hours when I hear a knock on my door. But I already know who it is.

"Go away!!" I scream, still crying.

"No! I'm here to say sorry and I'm not leaving 'till I say it!" I hear Mikey say.

"You're far too late!! I don't need your sorry!!" I scream.

"I'm not here just to say sorry!! Let me in!!"

"NO!!!!!!"

"LET ME IN!!!!!!" He screams.

"NO WAY!!!!"

"FINE!! HAVE IT YOUR WAY!!!"

I can feel him trying to knock my door open.

"DUFFERS!!!!!!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!" I scream to him.

"Not until I say what I want to say!!" He says, still trying to knock the door down.

"I hate you" I say this so deeply that he stops hitting the door, probably in shock.

I get up and walk to the window. It's already getting dark. I start climbing to leave the sewers.

"Mara? What are you doing?" I can hear Mikey say.

"I'm leaving" I say and jump out of the sewers.

Mikey is trying to knock the door open again but I don't care. I will be far away from him when he gets to open the door.

It's night now and the moon is still full.

*There's no reason to be just one night for month* I think and jump to the top of the building where I have my Kitty Girl stuff.

**Kitty Girl's POV**

Everything's set. I am ready to kick some creeps, but this time it's not just for fun or to make the city safer. This time it's to free the anger I have inside of me. I see my first victims. Three members of the Purple Dragoons are robbing a jeweler store. I jump at them, not even caring that they notice I'm there.

They see me immediately and one of them attacks. I defend and attack back. He falls dead.

"Who's next?" I ask.

They start running away, but I run behind them.

A guy, dressed all in metal armor, comes out of an alley and attacks the other two creeps. The creeps fall, unconscious.

I look up at the metal guy. I recognize him as being the famous NightWatcher. He's as famous as I am in defeating creeps.

"I could have finished those two!" I say.

"So ya could kill em' like ya did ta that one?! Don't think so!" He says.

"So what?! They're the creeps! I just defeat them and if necessary, kill them!" I say.

"Was it necessary to kill this one?!" He asks.

A feeling of guilt passes through my heart, but I shove it off. Still, I don't answer his question.

"You haven't answered, missy!" He says.

"That's because I don't need to, ! Or should I say, Mr. Raphael!" I say.

He's in complete shock.

"How do ya know that?!"

"I recognized your voice, smart guy!"

"But you never heard my voice before!"

"Think again, Raph! I heard your voice when you screamed at me yesterday!"

"Oh!"

I smirk. My mood was getting a little better.

"Oh well! I would love to stay here watching your stupid face! Buuuuut I have better things to do! Nya!"

I jump to a building and then to other. I keep jumping 'till I get to the building where my clothes are on. My mood is a lot better. It's time to get back to the lair and get some sleep!

I get to the building I was seeking. I start walking to the place where my clothes are on but I hear voices. I hide behind a pole.

"So, What's up? You sure have a face!" It's Casey's voice.

"I met up with that Kitty Girl and...she figured out it was me" Raph's voice says.

"What?! How can that be?! How did she figured out?!"

"She said it was because of my voice, but I think it's something else. I have this strange feeling that I already know her..."

*Huh oh!!* I think.

"Really? How's that?" Casey asks.

"I think Kitty Girl is Mara" Raph says.

With the shock, I make the pole I was hiding come down, making lots of noise. I stare at the two guys.

"Huh... Hya guys!! Wassup?!" I say, waving at them with a stupid smile

"Oh! So you're Kitty Girl!!" Casey says

"And you must be Casey! Mara told me about ya! How's April?!" I say.

"You know Mara?!" Casey asks

"Yeah! She's my best friend!" I say, happy with my genius lie.

"Bullshit! Ya aren't Mara's friend! Ya ARE Mara!" Raph says.

"Am not!!" I shout.

"Of course yz are! Mara ran away an hour ago! It's too much coincidence that yer out here at the same time she's!" Raph says.

*Damn!! I'm busted!!* I think.

"What if I am Mara?! Is there some problem with that?!?!" I scream

"No! But ya could at least tell us!"

"So what?!?! So you could stop me from coming?! No way!!" I scream

"There's no need to scream..." Casey starts.

"What do you know?!?!" I scream at him

"Let's go, Casey. Let's leave this little pimp alone!" Raph says and starts getting down the building.

Casey follows him

"Yeah!! Leave me alone!! I'm better off without you!!" I scream

*Oh, Mara! What has happened to you?* I ask myself.

I walk back to my stuff and get myself dressed. Once I'm ready, I turn around to leave. But I have an unpleasant surprise...


	5. Kidnapped

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

**Mara's POV**

Once I'm dressed back in my clothes, I turn around to walk back home but someone is in front of me. I nearly jump, scared, but I'm able to hold the impulse.

Shredder is right in front of me... He attacks!!

I jump backwards to avoid the attack, but he just keeps attacking and I have to continue avoiding.

*I don't even have my sword here!* I think. Then I remember my claws and try to run to my bag. But Shredder appears right in front of me and attacks before I could reach it.

His blade hits my arm. I scream in pain. Blood screeches from my arm. I'm completely defenseless now.

*This is it. I'm dead!* I think, waiting for the final blow.

But it never came. I look up. Shredder is nowhere to be seen. I think this is tricky, so I walk slowly to my bag, holding to my injured arm.

I'm almost getting to it when something covers my mouth. It has an intense smell… My vision starts blurring and I can't take it anymore. I faint on someone's arms.

**  
Raph's POV (some minutes ago)**

Me and Casey are now jumping on the buildings to get to April's house. Suddenly, we hear a loud scream, coming from far, but there was something about that scream that scared me. It was Mara's scream...

"It's Mara! I have ta help her!" I say to Casey.

"Kay! I'm goin' with you!" Casey says, reading his bat.

"No! Ya go warn April! Call ma brothers! We're gonna need help!" I say and jump to the place where the scream came.

Once I get there, I see Shredder holding Mara on his arms. Mara is bleeding from the left arm and she unconscious.

"What've ya done ta her?!" I ask, really pissed.

Shredder doesn't answer. I attack him, but he hits me first and I go against a wall. He grins and jumps off the building holding Mara.

"Damn!!!" I curse. My whole body hurts.

"April called us! What happened?!" I hear Leo say.

My brothers run to me, alongside Casey. I look up to face them.

"Mara... she..." I mutter.

"Mara?! Mara what?!" Mikey asks, looking frightened and worried.

"Shredder kidnapped her!" I say.

"Shredder what?!" Mikey says in complete shock.

"Do you know where Shredder went?" Leo asks me.

"He went that way" I point.

"Good. Me, Don and Casey are going after Shredder. Mikey, you take Raph back to the lair" Leo orders.

"But-But-!" Mikey protests.

"Do as you're told, Mikey" Leo says, with a threatening voice.

"Ok, fearless leader" Mikey says.

Mikey helps me up and Leo and Don run the way Shredder went. Me and Mikey start to walk back to the lair. We enter a manhole and keep walking.

"Sorry I couldn't protect yer girlfriend" I say.

"She's not my girlfriend! If she was, we wouldn't fight that much!" Mikey says.

"Yeah! But ya still love her!"

"I don't-"

"Don't try ta deny it, Mikey! I can see it a mile away!"

Silence moment.

"I really do love her, heh?" Mikey asks.

"Yer tha one who should know!"

"We're here" Mikey says.

He opens the lair's door and gets in. Master Splinter is there, sitting on a chair, next to the table. He looks up at us.

"What has happened?!" He asks, when he sees that I'm hurt.

"Mara was kidnapped. Shredder attacked Raph when he tried to protect her" Mikey tells.

"I see..." Master Splinter looks deep into Mikey's eyes, like he was trying to read his mind or something.

"Where can I put Raph? He's getting heavy!" Mikey says.

I would smack him on the head if I could move a muscle.

"Place Raphael on the couch. I will get the curatives" Master Splinter demands.

Mikey stretches me on the couch.

"I'm fine! I don't need ya ta heal me!" I say

"I hope you're lying! I can't go save Mara because of you!" Mikey says.

"I'm not tha guilty one! Leo was tha one who wanted ya ta get me here!!" I say.

"Enough. Let me see those wounds of yours" Master Splinter says and takes care of my wounds.

Mikey seems to be thinking about Mara. Like reading his thoughts, Master Splinter says:

"Raphael's wounds are not very bad. You two can go help Leonardo and Donatello save Mara, once I'm done."

"Really?!" Mikey says, cheering up again.

Some minutes pass by, while Master Splinter finishes the healing.

"You're ready, but still, be careful!" Master Splinter warns.

"Of course!" I say, getting up. I feel pain in my leg but I can hold it.

"Let's go!" Mikey says, running to the front door. I follow him and we run, on our way to save Mara.

**Leo's POV**

Me and Don are still running, searching for Shredder and Mara. I still feel sorry for not letting Mikey come with us.

"Look there, Leo!" Don points to a building.

Getting inside the building is Shredder with Mara, still unconscious.

"Let's go!" I say.

We jump to a place near the front door and hide. There's a guard in there.

"I'll take care of him. You go up ahead and find out where Mara is" I whisper to Don.

"Right!" He says.

We get into action. I attack the guard with a simple smack and he passes out. Don runs in front of me, but there are too many doors!

"Which one should we take?" Don asks.

"Try that one!" I say and we open the door ahead of us.

Wrong choice! A bunch of Foot ninja are there! We have no choice but start fighting them.

**Mikey's POV**

Me and Raph are running the way Shredder went, but we have no idea where he or our brothers are! We keep searching and I find something odd. A Foot soldier is laying unconscious at one building's door.

"Hey Raph! Check that out!" I point to the soldier.

"Great! Let's kick some creeps!!" Raph says and gets into the building's door. I go right behind him.

We're at a big corridor with lots of doors.

"Aw! Which door?!" I ask.

"Let's try this one!" Raph says, opening a door.

As soon as he opens it, he closes it.

"Nop!" He says and starts running away.

"Hey! What's the matter?!" I ask.

"Foot ninjas behind that door! And ya betta start running if ya don't want them ta catch ya!!" Raph screams, running.

Suddenly, a foot attacks me from behind. I can avoid it and start to run as fast as I can. I catch Raph shortly after.

"Told ya so!" He says

We keep running and turn to open a door.

"Great! More foot!" Raph says

But there aren't just Foot in there. Leo, Don and Casey are there too.

We all fight the foot soldiers that are there, until they're all gone.

"Where's Mara?" I ask Leo.

"We couldn't find her yet" Leo answers.

I look kinda disappointed.

"But don't worry, Mike! We'll find her!" Don says to cheer me up.

I nod and put a little smile on my face.

*Deep inside this building, Mara's in big trouble!*

**Mara's POV**

I wake up slowly with a huge headache. I notice that my arms and legs are stuck by some kind of metal strands. My arms are on each side of my head. I try to free myself, but the metal strands won't break.

I hear someone getting in the room, but I still continue trying to free myself.

"It's useless to do that. The metal strands will never break" I hear Shredder saying.

I look up at him.

"Why do you want me?! You already have the piece! Why do you need me now?!" I scream at him.

Another man gets inside the room, but this one is part machine, part human. The man starts maneuvering the machine that's in front of me.

"You have the "key" inside you, my dear" Shredder says.

I feel like I just swallow a block of ice. *Shit! He knows!" I think.

"Is everything ready, Stockman?" Shredder asks the other man.

"Almost, sir. I just need to make a few more adjustments to the machine" Stockman says.

"Make it fast!" Shredder shouts.

Stockman jumps and starts running around the machine, checking everything out.

"It's done, master" He says

"Good. Bring me the Darkness Box" Shredder says.

Stockman delivers him a black box. It's the one I saw, when I was Kitty Girl. Shredder opens the box. A Black Hand, like smoke, comes out of it. I stare at the hand with a frightening look.

"You're right in being afraid. You see, to get the pure "key" off from your heart, I need to have a Dark Hand and this is the darkness that will take the "key" out of you. Who'd have known that you are the one pure enough to hold the "key", the purity itself? Well... This hand will be the last thing you will see before you die. You see, once the "key" is out, it takes with it all of the energy you need to live. Now... Let's end this once and for all!" Shredder says.

The Dark Hand starts coming straight at me. It penetrates deep in my chest. I scream in pain. The Dark Hand is taking the "key" out...

**Mikey's POV**

*Where are you, Mara?!* I ask myself.

Me and my brothers have been looking for her for an eternity! All we find is Foot soldiers and more Foot soldiers, no Mara!! I swear, I've had enough of fighting!

We're running through another corridor. Leo, who's on front, turns and opens another door.

We all get in the new and different room. This room is a bit small, but there's a glass in front of us. I walk to see what's on the other side. My jaw drops.

On the other side of the glass is Mara! And she's screaming because something is penetrating her heart! Shredder and are watching her, having Shredder a black box in his hands with some black thing coming out of it. But I can't stop looking at Mara! She's suffering way too much!

"We have to do something!" I say and start hitting the glass to break it. My brothers start wandering for a way to break the glass.

"MARA!!!!!!!!!!" I scream.

**Mara's POV**

"MARA!!!!!!!!!!" I hear Mikey's voice, but I'm unable to look up at him.

The pain is way too much! I keep screaming due to the deep pain.

Suddenly, the hand comes out of my heart holding a lightning marble.

I look up at Mikey. He's hitting the glass that's in front of him.

"Mikey...." I murmur.

Not being able to hold anymore time, I faint.

**Mikey's POV**

The key just came out of Mara's heart. She faints almost immediately.

"No!" I shout and start hitting the glass harder.

My brothers also see what has happened.

"Stand back!" Raph says and throws his sais to the glass, making it break.

We run pass it and some Foot appear. We have to fight them.

Shredder grabs the "key" and puts it in the piece. Then he puts the piece inside the machine.

Wind comes out from a hole that's forming in the wall next to the machine. It's a portal!! Many of the Foot are dragged with the wind, but me and my brothers old on to some tubes. Flying from the portal comes Usagi, the rabbit in Feudal Era clothes. He flies until he lands taking out his sword and starts to fight the Foot with us.

"STOCKMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shredder screams.

"It-it must have been a little circuit that was bad connected. I'll check it again!" says.

"No, you won't!!" Shredder says and grabs him by the neck "You will come with me and then we will have a talk" He drops Stockman and runs away, Stockman following him.

Minutes later, the portal starts closing.

"Usagi! You should get in! Now!" Leo screams, knocking down a Foot soldier.

"It is too late!" Usagi says.

The portal closes and the last Foot falls to the ground. My brothers turn to talk to Usagi, but I run to Mara.

She is still there, unconscious. I try to free her from the metal strands, but it doesn't work. Then I notice something.

"She's not breathing!!" I say.

"What?!" Don comes running towards us "We have to take her out of here!" Don says.

"Don, there must be something in there that can free her. Maybe some button" Leo says.

"It must be this one!" Raph says and pushes a button.

Mara falls to my arms. Don examinees her.

"She needs the "key"! And fast!" He says.

Leo runs to where the piece is and takes it out. The "key" is inside the Piece. Leo brings the "key" to us and delivers it to me.

I put the key back inside Mara's heart to see if she wakes up. Everyone is waiting... Nothing happens. Mara doesn't wake up. We all stay in extreme silence.

"We're too late…" Leo says.

**Mara's POV**

"No! This cannot be happening! It can't!!" Mikey screams, holding me.

"You're right. It's not" I say.

They look down at me. I'm finally awake.

"Thanks for saving me" I say, smiling at Mikey, whose face is still in shock.

"Oh! Mara!" Mikey hugs me tight.

"Take it easy there! Do you want me to faint again?" I say, chuckling.

But Mikey doesn't let go. I smile and hug him back.

"I missed you too, Mikey"

"It's very nice an' all ta see tha happy reunion, but there are Foot coming this way!!" Raph says.

I let go of Mikey.

"Right! We have to leave!" I say.

Then I look to the rabbit that's in there.

"Who're you?" I ask.

"We'll introduce each other once we're safe. Now, we have to get out of here" He says.

"Come on! Let's go!" Leo says

He and Raph start running to the exit.

"What about the portal machine?!" Don asks

"Shredder can't use it without the key! We'll come back and get it once we can! Now, let's go!!" Leo says.

Mikey turns to me.

"You sure you can run?" He asks

"Positive!" I say

"I'm not that sure" He says and picks me up.

"What are you doing?! PUT ME DOWN!!!" I say, blushing

"Let's just go!!" Don says and runs after Leo, Raph and Usagi.

"Guess you don't have a choice" Mikey says, smirking.

"I'll give you the choice once we get home!!" I say, threateningly.

Mikey starts running after Don, with me in his arms. We run through the many doors and corridors.

"Hey! How do you know where we're going?!" I ask Leo.

"I memorized the all the way" He answers.

"Nice memory!" I say.

Mike was right when he stopped me from running. I was still very weak from the process of taking out the "key".

We continue running until we get to the front door. There, Foot are waiting our arrival. Mikey places me down and starts fighting along with his brothers and Usagi.

I just can't help them! My arm still hurts a lot and I can barely stand on my feet! A Foot soldier attacks me. I can hit him with my foot, but I fall to my knees right next.

*Shit! I can't keep on like this! I'll have to get out of here!* I think.

Fortunately, Leo seems to notice I'm not very well.

"We have to get out of here!" Leo says and runs to a manhole.

Mikey picks me up again and runs after his brother. We all jump into the manhole and close it tight, once we're all in. Leo and Raph are holding the manhole so the Foot can't open it.

Mikey looks at me. (I'm still on his arms)

"You ok?" He asks.

I wait some time before I answer.

"I can't say I'm in good shape..." I say.

Don walks to us and looks to my arm.

"Gash! What happened to your arm?!" Don asks.

"Oh! That's nothing! Just a little gift Shredder gave before he captured me" I say.

"Let me take a look at it" Don says.

I hold my arm close to me.

"Will it hurt?" I ask.

"Probably"

"Then I don't want to!" I say.

"But, Mara, I have to heel that arm! Or it will just keep hurting more!"

"Oh, ok then!" I stretch my arm, so Don can watch it.

"Does this hurt?"

"OW!"

"This?"

"OOOWWW!!!"

"What about this?"

"OOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! Don, are you trying to kill me?!" I scream at him.

"Sorry" He says.

"Quiet back there!!" Raph says, still holding the manhole with Leo.

"I think your arm will be ok if I immobilize it" Don says.

"You think?!" I say.

"I think they're off" Leo says.

"That's good" Me and Mikey say.

We start to walk back to the lair. I look to the rabbit I don't know.

"Now we can introduce each other! What's your name?" I ask him.

"Oh! Excuse me! My name is Usagi. It is a pleasure to meet you miss...?"

"Mara! Nice to meet you too!" I say with a big smile.

Usagi looks at you and Mikey and smiles.

"I'm happy you finally found a respectful girl, Michelangelo-san. It's very nice to meet such a happy couple" Usagi says.

"WE'RE NOT A COUPLE!!!!" Me and Mikey scream.

"Oh, you're not? Sorry, it was my mistake" Usagi says.

"Ya don't need ta say sorry, Usagi! They're a couple! They just don't want ta admit it!" Raph says

"ARE NOT!!!!" Me and Mikey scream.

Raph rolls his eyes.

"Of course yer not" He says.

We get to the lair in that same moment. Master Splinter is there waiting for us.

"What happened?!" He asks, when we all get in the lair.

Mikey lays me on the couch. Master Splinter is watching me. Leo and Don are telling him what has happened.

"So Shredder was able to take the "key" out" He says.

"Yes, but the guys got it back on time" I say.

"I know, but still you were lucky. You could have died without the "key", you know that" Master Splinter says.

"I know... But there was nothing I could do! I couldn't free myself!"

Master Splinter sighs and compliments Usagi.

"Still you got hurt! Let me see that arm" Don says.

I hold my arm with a frightening look.

"It won't hurt much this time, I promise" Don says and goes get some curatives.

Don wraps my arm with bandages.

"This should do it! Now you can't move your arm much" He says when he's finished.

"Yes, doc!" I say to him, smiling.

He blushes a bit and gets up, going off to his computer. I look around. Raph is (again) punching his punching bag. Leo is meditating with Master Splinter and Usagi. But I can't see Mikey anywhere.

*Maybe he's up in his room* I think. *I want to say sorry to him, but I'm scared that he doesn't accept... Don't think that, Mara! Besides, he doesn't even deserve my apologies! Why would I do that?! No! I need to tell him sorry! I have to!*

My inner thoughts just keep fighting against each other, but I'm able to get up and walk to Mikey's room entrance. I notice that Raph is watching me, but I don't bother.

I prepare myself to knock at the door but I stop in middle way.

My inner thoughts keep fighting: *Why am I doing this? He's the one who should apologize, not me! No! I need to tell him sorry! I don't want to lose him! Because I-I love him!*

I finally knock on the door. A happy Mike opens the door, but his smile fades when he sees it's me.

"Oh! It's you. What do you want?" Mikey asks with some rudeness.

"I-I want to talk with you!" I say, not able to look into his eyes.

"K, get in!" He says and lets me in.

He closes the door behind him and leans against it.

"Split! What do you wanna talk with me?" He asks

"I-I want to apologize!" I shout.

Mikey raises his eyebrows.

"For what?"

"F-for having escaped... A-after that fight" I can't speak straight! Since when did Mikey get me this nervous?!

"You don't need to apologize because of that! You nearly got killed because of that mistake and you got your arm hurt! You already had your punishment" He says

Anger starts replacing sadness and nerves.

"Punishment?! Is that why you don't accept my apologies?! Because I already had my punishment?!" I scream.

"Shell yeah! You shouldn't have escaped in the first place! Or you wouldn't have been close to death!!"

"Oh Yeah!? Well I don't need you to accept my apologies anyway!! I'm leaving, DUFFERS!!!" I scream and walk to the door, but Mikey gets himself in front of the door and doesn't let me get out.

"Get out of the way!!" I scream, trying to open the door.

"No!"

"Yes! Let me go!!"

"NO!!!"

In a sudden move, Mikey wraps his arms around my waist and kisses me. He breaks up right next. I look up at him with a mad face.

"What was that for?!" I scream.

"When I went to your room, today, I didn't just want to say I'm sorry..." He starts, still holding me by the waist.

"Then what did you wanted to say?" I ask, getting a little nervous.

"I-I wanted to say... Hmm..."

"What?! What did you want to say?!" I ask, getting impatient

"I-I wanted to say I-I l-love you" He says. I'm in complete shock.

"What? I don't think I understood… Can you repeat?"

"Don't make me say it again!!"

"Please! I didn't hear well..."

"I-I love you…"

I look at him. He's looking away and his face is all red. I smile.

"I love you too, Mikey" I say

He looks at me, surprised.

I slowly lean my lips against his.

It takes some time, but he kisses me back. Minutes pass by and we can hear footsteps coming from outside. Still, we don't break up. The door starts opening.

"So have ya two already killed each o- Holy shit!" Raph says, when he sees me and Mikey.

We break up the kiss and blush heavily, looking at Raph.

Raph is looking from me to Mikey. Then he smirks.

"G'night, lovebirds! Make sure ya don't goof around too much!" He says and gets out of the room.

Me and Mikey offer a big smile at each other.

"Good night, duffers!" I say

"Good night, missy!" He says

He kisses me and walks back to his room. I let myself fall in my bed.

*I feel like I'm in heaven! Is this how it is to be in love? I don't care! As long as I'm with Mikey...*

I dive in a deep sleep. After all, it was a harsh day.


	6. Evil Mara

**Sorry I haven't update in a while but 12****th**** grade sucks and school gives me way too much stuff to think about, so sorry. I'll try to be a little more frequent from now on.**

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

**Oroku Saki's POV (a.k.a. Shredder)**

I walk through the main corridor of our new headquarters.

Anger...

Anger is boiling inside me...

That girl...

She ruined my plans again!

I step through a door. Karai, Hun and Stockman are there, planning a new strategy.

"That girl must pay! I will destroy her!!" I say and crash the table in the middle of the room to release my rage.

"The girl can be useful to us, though" Karai says.

"What are you saying?!... Hm... Yes... Maybe she can be useful to me..." I say, thinking.

"The "key" not only unlocks powerful things, as also it gives amazing powers to its protector. If the girl was on our side, we could use those powers in our favor..."

"Oh! I think I understand! I think there is a potion that can control a person. I can go check it" Says Stockman and starts looking for some papers in his bag.

"I still don't understand! That thing has powers?!" Hun says.

"You never do understand a thing, do you?" Stockman says, still looking in the bag.

Hun roars.

"Aha! Found it!" Stockman says and starts reading the papers he's holding. "Though there are some complications..."

"What complications?!" I ask.

"Being the "key" inside her heart, some strong feelings may not disappear with the potion. So, if the girl is in loved and you send her to attack her lover... she may refuse..." Stockman says. I laugh.

"Ah! All I want is she to attack the turtles! And I dough that she loves one of them! We have to catch that girl! And I think I already know where she will be..." I say.

**Mara's POV**

I'm playing videogames with Mikey. Things have been pretty nice since we made up last week. We skate together, watch movies together, read comics together and play videogames together.

Raph seems to have told the others that he saw me and Mikey making up. Now, everyone just gives us a cherry smile when they see me and Mikey together. It's just irritating! It's not like me and Mikey are boyfriend and girlfriend! Or is it?...

Ah! Who cares?! I don't!

Not everything is fine, though. Usagi is still here and he can't open a portal to get back home. We already tried to get to the portal machine, but the doors are always being guarded by foot ninja, and even if we could get there, I just can't take the "key" out again to open the portal. I would die if I do so!

An idea just popped into my head.

*What if I don't take the "key" out? Will it work?*

Mikey wins the game we're playing.

"Haha! I won!!" He says, making his winner dance.

"Duffers! You only won because I was thinking about something else!" I say.

"You just have to admit it, Mara! I'm better than you on all the videogames in the world!!" He says.  
"You wish duffers!" I say to him.

Of course that, even being ok with each other, me and Mikey still have fights.

"Here we go again!" Don says.

I kick Mikey on the head and turn to Don.

"Say, Don? Is there any possibility to open a portal without taking the "key" out?" I ask.

"Gash, Mara! I don't know" Don says.

"And that's the first thing he doesn't know!" Leo says.

"I think it is possible, Mara-san, but we still need the machine" Usagi says, emerging from the shadows with Master Splinter.

"Still, it can be very dangerous. You might lose your life, even if the "key" doesn't come out of your heart" Master Splinter says.

"I have to try! Usagi can't stay here forever!" I say.

"I appreciate your bravery, Mara-san. But I can't allow you to take that risk for me" Usagi says.

Mikey holds my hand and I can feel the three curious turtles' eyes on us.

"I agree with Usagi. You can't take that risk, Mara!" Mikey says.

I look into his eyes and feel sorry for kicking him a moment ago.

"But I have to..." I say, still looking into his eyes.

He makes a sad face, but gives up. He lets go of my hand. I put a smile back on my face, though I'm not very happy.

"Ok! Then let's go!" I say and start walking to the door, but someone grabs my shoulder.

"Calm down, Mara. We need a plan before we go, or we'll get captured" Leo says.

"Ok, alright!" I say and sit on the couch.

~One hour later~

The night is already on. Our plan is impossible to fail and we're already in front of the building's door. As we figured, a Foot soldier is watching the door. We get our plan into action.

Mikey steps forward and starts concentrating all the attentions in him, in a very stupid way. He attacks the soldier and he falls, without making a single noise. We all get into the building.

We run through many doors, until we find it. The portal machine it's still there, completely the same. I approach it closely and touch it. My hand glows a bright white and I take it out immediately. Mikey comes from behind me.

"You sure you wanna do this?" He asks.

"Yeah" I answer.

I walk to the place where the Piece is on.

"Prepare yourself, Usagi!" I say.

I place both hands on my heart and concentrate. Light spreads from me. It illuminates the entire room and also the Piece.

A portal starts appearing.

"You're doing it, Mara! You're doing it!" Don says and the portal is now completely open.

"Go, Usagi! I can't hold up much longer!" I say, with a weak voice.

"Thank you, Mara-san" He says and gets inside the portal.

As soon as he is back to his home I fall to the floor, exhausted, but Mikey catches me before I hit the ground.

"You ok?" He asks.

"I'm fine, Mikey. Just a little tired, but I'm fine" I say and I fall asleep in his arms.

**Mikey's POV**

Mara just fell asleep. Man! She must be exhausted! I hold her up.

"We have to get out of here!" Leo says.

We all run to the main entrance, or should I say, to the way out!

But someone is there waiting for us.

"Shredder!" Raph says, preparing his sais.

"Mikey! Protect Mara! We'll distract him!" Leo says.

"Yes, fearless leader!" I say and run away from there as fast as possible.

But I have to stop running. There's another person blocking my way.

"Stand back, dude! I have here nunchuks and I'm not afraid to use them!" I say to the guy.

"I'm not planning to make you use it, either, despicable mutant!" Says a horrible voice.

From behind the shadows, comes Shredder. My jaw drops.

"But-but- you were right back there!" I say, pointing.

"The one that your stupid brothers are fighting is not me. I could presume that you would want to protect the girl, so I came after you instead" Shredder says.

"You won't take her! Not while I'm alive!" I say, holding Mara even closer.

"We can fix that!" He says and attacks.

I dodge it and put Mara resting against a wall. I get my nunchuks out and attack!

I strike him but he attacks back and I hit the wall close to Mara. I get up again, but before I can fully get up, Shredder strikes me and I go flying against another wall. This time I can't move with all the pain.

Shredder gets close to Mara and grabs her, putting her on his shoulder. Mara wakes up and starts screaming and kicking on Shredder, but I'm unable to hear what she's saying.

I try to look at her, but she seems to be far away, now. Shredder is taking her, and I can't do anything.

"MIKEY!!!!!!!!!!!" I hear Mara's voice, but I can't hold on much longer and faint right there.

**Don's POV**

Me and my brothers are still fighting the Shredder. His movements seam less powerful, though.

The Shredder steps back and gives a laugh, but there is something different...

The laugh is from a girl. Shredder takes out the helmet.

For our surprise, it isn't Oroku Saki who is under the helmet, but Karai.

"Karai? What the shell are you doing here?!" Leo asks.

"Distracting you from what we really want. You are so predictable!" Karai says.

"Oh no! Mikey!" Raph says and starts running to the place where Mikey and Mara had gone.

"Wait, Raph!" Leo says and we run after him, leaving Karai behind.

She didn't seem interested in following us. We all continue running.

Suddenly, we see a shadow next to the wall. Raph runs to it. We do it too.

It's Mikey. He is unconscious and extremely hurt. Mara is nowhere to be seen.

"Mikey! Mikey!! Wake up!" Raph says, shaking him.

Mikey murmurs and opens his eyes.

"Mara... Shredder took her..." He says in a weak voice.

"We know. We have to go back to the lair, now. Then, we'll come back for Mara" Leo says, holding Mikey up. Raph holds the other side.

We walk back to the lair, avoiding the Foot. Once we're there, I heal Mikey's wounds and get him to rest in his bed.

*Poor Mikey... He lost Mara and got hurt in one single day! Poor guy...* I think and dive in my computer, making a research on where Mara could be.

**Mara's POV**

Shredder is taking me through a small corridor, still inside the building. I'm still fighting to free myself from him. I hit him on the back, hoping that he will have enough.

"That's enough!" He says and throws me to the floor.

I immediately hit him in the legs and he falls. I get up and run! I stop, suddenly.

Shredder in my front.

"But- he-..." I say, watching Shredder come closer.

I step back and hit another thing or person... I look back.

Another Shredder is behind me!

"What the-?" I start.

But my mouth is covered by a cloth with a strange smell. I fight for a little bit, but I can't hold on and faint. This really has to stop happening to me...

*Dream*

I'm in a dark place. In here, there's only darkness and there's no light in sight. I can barely see myself, but I look around, looking for someone.

"Hello!!! Anybody there?!" I scream, but I can only hear my own voice back.

"I'm here" A voice says, behind me.

With an impulse, I turn around.

"Wha-? But-? This makes no sense!" I say.

The person that's in front of me is no more no less than myself.

"But- you're me!" I say.

"Good point there. Though there is a difference between us" She says.

"I don't understand! What difference?! Who the shell are you?!" I ask.

"Like I said, I am you, but I'm evil and obey to Shredder, while you are the purity. Your purity has been holding me off for the last 15 years, but now, with the help of this potion, I'll be the one holding you off!!" She says and attacks me.

I avoid it and strike back. She disappears right in front of my eyes, right before I could hit her.

"Wha-?" I say.

Suddenly, something sharp goes through my heart. I slowly look down and see that one of my Kitty Girl's claws is trespassing my chest.

"Now you won't interfere!" Evil Mara says and takes the claw out of my heart.

I fall to the floor, unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to do anything. My vision starts to blur. I see the other Mara getting down to face me.

"It will be a pleasure to kill your little boyfriend and your friends!" She says and leaves, laughing into the darkness.

"No... Guys... Mikey..."

I pass out, but I'm not dead. No... I would be dead if this was the reality, but it is not. Only my pure soul is gone. My body is now gonna be controlled by the other part of me...

The Evil Mara...

*End Dream*

I slowly wake up. I'm in a large room. I sit on the bed.

Someone walks in.

It's Shredder, followed by Karai, Hun and Stockman.

"Are you ready to take my orders without protest?" Shredder asks.

"Yes, master" I say, with an evil grin.

**Mikey's POV**

I wake up in my bed. My wounds are much better. I'm ready to fight again! I jump from my bed and head down stairs.

"Morning, Mikey!" My brothers compliment.

"Morning!" I say. "Any news of Mara?"

They all get their heads down.

"No..." Don says.

I sit at the table and start to eat pizza. Maybe it will cheer me up.

The alarm starts ringing! We all run to the main computer.

"MARA!!!!" We shout at the same time, very happily.

Mara is on the screen, without a single scratch and with her head down. Leo looks a little suspicious.

"Don't you think she's way too healthy to be true?" He says.

"No way, Leo! She probably just got away before they could hurt her!" I say, running to the entrance.

My brothers follow me and we get to the tunnel where Mara is.

There she is, like she hadn't even made a move. She's way too still, but I don't care! I run and hug her and she doesn't even hug me back, but I don't care! I'm so happy to have her back.

"Mikey! Get out of there!" Leo's voice shouts.

I let go of Mara and look behind. My brothers are surrounded by Foot soldiers. I look back at Mara. She lifts her head.

My jaw drops. Mara doesn't have that nice look she used to. Now, her face is evil and she's wearing an evil grin, and those bright red eyes just crept the shell outta me.

"You are SO predictable!" She says, with a voice that doesn't even seem like Mara's.

I step back and I can hear my brothers fight with the Foot behind me.

"You're not Mara!!" I say

"You're wrong in that point. I am Mara. Just not the one you know" She says.

"Then where is she?! What happened to Mara?!" I scream.

"The Mara you know is long gone. But I'm still here, and I'm ready to finish you off!!" She says and attacks.

I dodge. Her weapons are some claws that she holds in her hands.

She attacks again, but I keep dodging her attacks, unable to attack back.

My mind is still confused with what just happened.

*This girl is not Mara! Then what happened to the kind Mara?! She said she's gone... No! That can't be possible!* I think.

With all my anger, I jump at Mara. We roll over until we get to the end of the tunnel, which is where there is that big whirlpool on the bottom.

Mara gets up and jumps to one pipe above the whirlpool.

"Come and get me, if you want your dear Mara back!" She says.

I jump to the pipe she's on and I start fighting her.

My brothers appear in the tunnel right at our side, but they don't dare to jump to help me. This pipe is too small and it would fall with so much weight in it.

Mara makes me trip and I nearly fall from the pipe, but I hold on to it and climb back up.

Once I'm back on the pipe, one of Mara's claws threats my neck. I'm forced to stand still and look up at Mara.

"Now, I shall destroy you, so you won't be standing in my way or my master's!!" She says and her claw goes up to strike me harder.

My brothers are protesting and telling me to get out of there, but I can't move.

Is this really the end? Killed by the one I love?

The claw starts coming down with extreme velocity. I get my head down, ready to face my destiny.

*NO!!!!!*

The claw stops, right before it hits me. I look up again. Mara is with a shocked face, as if it wasn't her controlling her arm.

A crack comes from the pipe. It's about to break.

"Mara, let's get outta here!" I say, but I get no response. Mara still doesn't move.

"Mara!!"

It's no use. The pipe breaks and I nearly miss the tunnel where my brothers are, after jumping off.

I hang in the extreme of the tunnel, with my brothers there to help me up. I look behind to see Mara.

She didn't make up. She's falling to the whirlpool still with the same shocked face she had a while ago.

"MARA!!!!!!!!!!!!" I scream.

Mara hits the water and vanishes.

I get up to the tunnel, tears coming from my eyes. Someone taps my shell.

"It's ok, Mikey. Everythin's goin' ta be ok" Raph says and places his arm around my shoulder.

We all walk back to the lair, passing through the unconscious Foot soldiers.

*Evil Mara's Dream*

Darkness is around me, but that doesn't mind for I'm used to the darkness. I'm angry... Very angry! I wasn't able to stab that punk! All because of that stupid girl!

I walk until I can see someone. I walk closer to her.

Mara is barely on her feet, holding the wound in her heart. I'm surprised how she can still walk. She seems so completely defenseless!

"You stood in my way for the last time!!" I shout.

Green ropes hold her arms, legs and torso. She screams in pain.

"You see, with the potion running through our veins, you cannot take control of our body anymore! Stop my arm from hitting your lover was the best you could do! But next time... You won't stop me from killing him!" I say.

The green ropes holding her start tightening. She faints after a while of torture.

I turn around and leave to my body. Ready to come out alive from those waters.

*End Evil Mara's Dream*

**Evil Mara's POV**

I swim, with all my strength, back to the surface and take a deep breath. I swim to land and regain my breath.

After a while, I get up and get out of the sewers. I walk in the shadows back to the new main building of the Foot.

I get in the room where Shredder, Stockman and Karai are.

"Ah, Mara! Can you explain me what happened to you and my ninjas?" Shredder asks.

"I had a small problem, but it is already fixed" I say.

"I hope so. I don't want another failure in this other mission" Shredder says.

"Tell me what is that mission and I shall accomplish with what you want, master" I say.

"Since the turtles already know you have knowledge of their hiding place, we will prepare them a trap" Shredder says.

"What do I have to do?" I ask, grinning.

Shredder smiles and starts telling me the plan of the trap.

**Mikey's POV**

I'm lying on my bed, thinking of what happened yesterday.

Mara's gone...

And even if she was alive, she would be on Shredder's side...

I spent the whole day crying in my room. I don't think I ever cried so much!

But now I know I don't have any more tears to cry. I'm going down stairs to face my brothers again.

I get up from my bed and head down stairs.

As usual, Leo is meditating, Raph is kicking his punching bag, Master Splinter is in his room, probably meditating, and Don is in his computer.

I smile. Nothing changed, after all. Except for the absence of Mara...

Raph looks at me with a worried look, but he doesn't say a word.

I walk to the TV and turn it on.

My jaw drops.

On the screen, there isn't any usual program, just Shredder!

"Hey, dudes! Come here!" I say.

My brothers come running to me.

"What's the matter, Mikey?" Leo asks, but then he sees the TV.

Shredder starts talking.

"I have good news for you, turtles. Your friend Mara is not dead, and she's not even by my control anymore. Here's the proof"

The screen shows an unconscious Mara, now. She seems to be ok, though.

"I have an offer to give you. Come here by midnight today and I will deliver you your so deary friend. If you don't....well... then you can say goodbye to her!" Shredder says and threats Mara's throat with his naives.

The screen goes off and we all stay in silence for a while.

"We have to go save her!!" I say.

"I don't know, Mikey... It sounds like a trap" Leo says.

"I don't care! I have to help Mara!" I say and run to the entrance.

But Master Splinter is there, blocking my way out.

"You will not go anywhere! It's far too dangerous and you still aren't completely cured from your last fight with the Shredder!" He says.

"But-but-" I start

"You can't go and that's final! I fear for your safety" Master Splinter says.

Many hours passed by and it's getting dark. I'm playing videogames now, but I still can't stop thinking of Mara. *Was it really a trap? But I have to go save Mara!* I think.

I turn the TV off and pretend that I yawn.

"I'm tired! I'm going to get some sleep" I say and walk to my room.

"That's weird! Since when did Mikey go ta bed so early?!" Raph says.

I wait in my room for a few hours. I hear that no one is in the dojo any longer, so I tip toe to the entrance of the lair.

When I am almost getting out, someone touches my shoulder. I jump and scream, but the one that touched my shoulder covered my mouth.

"Shhhh! Do ya want Masta' Splinta' ta wake up?!" Raph says, still covering my mouth.

"We don't want that, do we?" Don's voice says and he appears from the darkness, followed by Leo.

Raph takes his hand off my mouth, which is now wide open.

"We already left a message for Master Splinter not to stay worried. Now, let's go!" Leo says.

"T-Thanks, bros!" I say and we run our way to rescue Mara.

We jump in the rooftops of the buildings to find some Foot ninja. We passed through April's house and Casey came along with us. We need to find a Foot ninja so he can lead us to where the headquarters are.

We find one in no time. He's standing at the entrance of one building.

"You think it is down there?" Don asks.

"How 'bout we ask him... nicely?" Raph says.

"Sounds good, but don't be too rough on-" Leo starts, but Raph is already halfway to the ninja.

Raph grabs the Foot soldier by the collar and pushes him up.

"Are these the headquarters of the Foot?! Answer me!" Raph shouts.

"Y-yes..." The ninja says.

Raph drops him and he runs inside the building.

"Ok, let's go!!" Raph says and enters the building.

We follow him and run through the corridor. Like the other headquarters, the corridors have lots of doors.

We enter one and find only one more corridor with more doors.

"Man! Don't the Foot know how to choose a place that's not a labyrinth?!" I say.

"It's a perfect alibi, though" Don says.

"A perfect what?!"We all ask.

"Never mind!" Don says.

We continue running.

"If you want to have your friend back, come to the room fourteen, on the corridor seven. Me and Mara will be there waiting for you...Hahahahahah!!" Shredder's voice says, followed by an evil laugh.

We all stand still.

"Where tha shell is room fourteen?!" Raph shouts.

"On corridor seven" Leo finishes.

We all look at each other and then look at the door that is in our side.

It's written: "Room twelve, Corridor five"

"Oh! So that's what the guy wanted to say!" Casey says.

"Ok! We already know where we have to go! Now, we just need to get there!" Leo says.

We nod and run all the way to Room twelve, Corridor five. We stop once we get there.

"Ok, guys. You ready?" Leo asks, preparing himself to open the door.

"Ready!!" We all say.

Leo opens the door and we all get in there. It's a large room, leading to many tunnels and doors.

In a small metal bed, lies Mara.

I run to her and try to touch her, but my hand goes through her body and she vanishes. I glare and take my nunchuks out.

"I knew it!! It's a trap!!" Leo says.

"Come out from wherever ya are, Shredder!!" Raph screams.

We hear his evil laugh.

"It's not me who you will fight today, turtles!" Shredder's voice says, but we can't see him anywhere.

A shadow starts appearing in one of the tunnels. My brothers and Casey take out their weapons.

The shadow comes closer and closer, until we can see who it is.

All our jaws drop.

It's Mara, but with a Foot clan suit.

"M-Mara..." I say.

"I'm not that easy to kill, and, this time, I won't hesitate in killing you" Mara says, with a voice that doesn't seem like hers.

I gasp. My brothers and Casey get ready to fight.

Mara runs forward and attacks Leo. Leo blocks and continues fighting Mara. Mara has no weapon. She's just fighting with her fists.

Mara and Leo finish the fight as Mara jumps back.

"Where're your claws, missy? Ya can't fight without a weapon!" Raph says.

"I have a new weapon today" Mara says, with an evil grin.

Mara moves her hand forward and, from her hand, appears some kind of a thunder ball. She throws the ball to us.

It hits Leo and he is blown against the wall.

"Leo!!" Don shouts and runs to Leo.

"Who wants to be next?" Mara says.

"How 'bout ya?!" Raph says and runs to Mara, his sais in his hands.

He tries to hit her, but she dodges and throws him a thunder ball that makes him fly through the air, hitting then the ground. Casey strikes next, but he's not luckier than Raph. Mara didn't throw him a thunder ball, though. She just hit him really hard on the stomach. Casey falls to the floor, moaning and holding to his stomach.

"Three down! Two left!" Mara says.

"D-Don... Take M-Mikey and r-run away from here..." Leo says, in a weak voice.

"We can't leave you three here!" Don says to Leo.

"M-Mara... She's too powerful. You have to go. These balls can kill!" Leo says, with all his strength.

Don nods and starts running and I run after him. We get into one of the tunnels and continue running.

We are still running, when Mara appears in the ceiling in front of us.

We stop running, looking at her. She can teleport and stay backwards too!

Mara creates another thunder ball and throws it to Don.

Don flies back and hits the ground.

I look up at Mara. She gets to the floor and starts walking closer to me.

"Now it's just you and me, punk!"


	7. To the Farmhouse

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

**Mara's POV**

"Now, it's just you and me, punk!" I say.

Mikey seems terrified. All his brothers are gone and he is all alone to face me.

I create another thunder ball and throw it to him. He jumps and it fails him by an inch.

"You don't wanna do this!" He says.

"Oh yes I want!" I say and throw another thunder ball at him.

It fails again and I lose sight of Mikey.

"Oh Michelangelo! Come out!" I say.

Mikey appears from nowhere and jumps, trying to grab me.

"Why don't you just call me Mikey, like you used to?!" He asks, fighting to keep me still.

"Because I'm not the girl you USED to know!" I say and kick him really hard in his plastron.

He falls to the ground, in pain.

"Now, let's finish this! Once and for all!" I say and create another thunder ball, reading myself to throw it to him.

*Pure Mara's Dream*

The green ropes are still grabbing me, keeping me deathly still. I don't even know if I'm conscious or not. I can't tell what's around me, because it's all black. At least the other Mara isn't here… But that only means she's hurting my friends... and Mikey...

A tear rolls from my closed eye down my cheek. I don't even know if he is still alive...

A bright light makes me close my eyes harder, but my curiosity makes me open them again.

It's the "key". The "key" is in front of me, floating, its light so pure, that it fills my heart. The green ropes start disintegrating and I get onto my feet.

Something weird happens. The wound in my heart starts healing itself. Now, I'm as good as new.

"It's time for you to fight for what you love" A voice says from the "key".

My katana appears in front of me and I grab it. I nod and run into the darkness. It's time to end this, once and for all!

I continue to run through the darkness. I find the evil Mara standing up ahead, holding a thunder ball ready to throw.

"Stop!!!" I scream.

She turns and sees me. Her jaw drops.

"How's it possible?-" She murmurs.

"It is possible!" I say and run to her, holding my katana.

She blocks it with her claws, which appeared out of nowhere. In here, the powers of the "key" don't work.

We keep fighting for a while.

She strikes me, but I dodge. Still, her claw hits my ponytail and releases my hair. I step back, breathing hard. I hold my katana hard and run forward.

My sword goes through her chest.

She starts falling, but before she hits the ground, she vanishes in an explosion of light.

I stay there, breathing hard and holding my katana, until the "key" appears floating. It continues flying forward, as if saying for me to follow it.

I run after it, leading to God knows where...

*End Pure Mara's Dream*

**Mikey's POV (since a while ago)**

Mara is ready to hit me with that ball. But suddenly, she looks back and her jaw drops.

"How's it possible?-" She murmurs.

Then, she seems to be blocking a sword with her claws and she starts fighting with the air!

I look at her, as if she had gone mad.

After a while, it looks like she's dying and a huge light spreads from her. I get up, protecting my eyes from the light.

Mara's hair releases itself and her face turns friendlier, like it was before she took the potion.

At that time, I know she's changing back. She starts falling, slowly. I catch her, noticing she's unconscious.

"Mikey... What happened to Mara?" Don asks with a weak voice. He is holding to the wall.

"She came back to normal!" I say with a big smile.

"Then we should get out of here. Let's find the others" Don says.

We walk back to where the others are. Leo and Raph are getting up, helped by Casey.

"What tha shell happened ta Mara?!" Raph asks.

"She's on our side now" I say.

"How can ya be so sure?!"

"I just know it!" I say.

"Enough! We have to get out of here!" Leo demands.

"And we can't go back to the lair. Shredder already knows where it is!" Don says.

"You can come to April's! She won't mind" Casey says.

"Yeah! But April's house is too little to all of us! And we need time to heal our wounds" Leo says.

"Then you can come to my grandma's farmhouse! It's cozy and it has lots of room" Casey says.

"Ok then, but we have to warn Master Splinter first" Leo says and takes his Shell Cell out.

"Hum.....Where does this thing turns on?" Master Splinter's voice says.

"You already have it on, Master Splinter…" Don says.

"Oh!" Master Splinter says.

"We came to some... problems. We are heading to April's house. We need you to go there. The sewers are no longer safe" Leo says.

"Very well, I will go to Miss O'Neil's house, but you won't get rid of the punishment for disobeying my orders!" Master Splinter says.

Leo turns the Shell Cell off.

"Ok, let's go" Leo says and starts running as fast as he can with his wounds.

We get to April's house. It's still night. We ring the bell and April opens the door.

"Guys! You're hurt! What happened?! What's going on?!" April says.

"Long story!" Raph says and gets in.

We all get into the house. Leo starts explaining everything to April. I put Mara on the couch. She is still unconscious, but now it looks like she's just asleep.

We get bandages on our wounds and wait for Master Splinter. He arrives moments later with supplies for a whole month, including new clothes for Mara.

Now we just have to wait for Mara to wake up for us to leave...

**Mara's POV**

I moan and slowly open my eyes. I realize that I'm in April's house, on a couch. Everything is back to normal again. Evil Mara is back where she belongs!

"Morning, sleeping beauty!!" Mikey says, right next to me, with a huge smile on his face.

"Mikey..." I murmur.

Mikey smiles and gets ready to hug me, but before he can do that I hug him first, with all my strength, tears pounding down my cheek.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't want to do that! I'm sorry!" I say.

Mikey hugs me back.

"I know it wasn't your fault. You don't need to blame yourself for this" He says, releasing me and looking into my eyes.

I smile to that blue eyed face. For a moment, we are about to kiss, but Raph enters the room.

We look away from each other, conscious that we're blushing. I look up to Raph. He's smirking but I take a hand to my mouth, shocked.

Raph has bandages in his leg, apparently broken and he needs a stick to walk. He also has bandages in his chest.

He notices my shocked face.

"Don't cha worry! It could be 'lot worse! Now go and dress yourself! I don't wanna see ya in that Foot clothes anymore!" Raph says and throws me some clothes. I am still wearing a Foot ninja suit.

"Right!" I say, smiling, but I still can't stop feeling guilty for him to be like that, even if I can't remember what I've done to him exactly. I get up and enter the bathroom.

I dress myself with warm clothes (It's already Winter and it's snowing out there) and put on my ponytail. I get out of the bathroom and walk to the kitchen, where April is.

"Hey, Mara! I'm glad you finally woke! The guys are waiting for us outside preparing the Battle Shell" She says.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Since you guys can't go back to the lair, we are going to Casey's grandmother's farmhouse" She says and readies the last things to take.

"Ok! Let's go" She says and walks past the front door.

It's still night. I think that is weird. It was almost morning when I nearly killed the turtles!

"How long did I stay sleeping?" I ask.

"One day and a half" She answers. I slip in the snow and nearly fall.

"O-One day and a half?!" I ask, shocked.

"Yes. We were kinda thinking you would never wake up, but Mikey never lost hope" She says.

I smile to myself. He never stopped hoping…We get to the garage where the Battle Shell is on.

"Mara! You are really awake! I thought Mikey was driving nuts!" Don says. Mikey makes a mad face.

I am just staring at the damages I caused without wanting. Don has one arm broken and has bandages on his knee. Leo has one foot broken and, as Raph, he needs a stick to walk. He also has bandages on his plastron. Casey is also there and he has bandages in his chest. The guys are all putting their things inside the Battle Shell.

"I'm happy to see that you're back again" Leo says.

"Yeah! It's me again and... I'm sorry" I say.

"It's ok. It wasn't your fault" Leo says.

"It's all packed up! We are ready ta go! Who's gonna get Mara and April?" Casey's voice says from the other side of the Battle Shell.

"We're already here!" I say happily.

"Oh! Hey, Mara!" Casey says, while coming from behind the van.

"Then let's get this trip started! My grandma's farmhouse is still far away!" Casey says and enters the Battle Shell.

We all follow. Don is driving and Leo and Casey are next to him. The rest of us sit on the back seats. I sit next to Mikey, on one side of the van, and April and Raph sit on the other side.

Raph is still smirking to me and Mikey. April is just looking from me and Mikey to Raph.

"What?!" Me and Mikey shout.

"Ah, nothin'! I was just wanderin' how yer marriage will be!" Raph says.

"Keep dreaming!" I say, but I know I'm blushing.

We keep travelling for hours. Me and Mikey had to find something to have fun. We found a karaoke DVD and started singing our favorite songs.

Too bad 3 hours later we couldn't sing OR speak anymore. Raph seems quite pleased with that.

"Ah! Ya stopped singin'! Finally!!" He says.

Me and Mikey make a mad face, unable to shout anything at him. Ah well, one hour later we could speak again and we used that ability to bother Raph even more.

"Aaahhhh! Why did ya have ta speak again?! Couldn't ya just be silent for 3 thousand years?!" He says.

"Nothing lasts forever!" I say, smirking.

"We arrived!" Leo shouts and the Battle Shell stops.

"Finally!" April says and gets out of the Battle Shell.

We follow her, running. The farmhouse is right in front of us.

"Man! The house is practically falling to pieces!" I say.

"At least we can still live on it!" Casey says and grabs one bag, walking to the house.

"Think he got annoyed by what I said?" I ask silently to Raph.

"Naaah! Ya know Casey! Ya just hurt his pride, that's all!" Raph says.

"Gee! Why doesn't that make feel better?!" I shout.

"'Cause I don't want ya ta feel betta!" Raph says, joking.

"Leatherhead!" I say, smiling.

We all grab some bags and get inside the house. It doesn't look so well on the inside either. It's all dusty and full of spider webs.

"I can't believe we will have to clean this house again!" April says, and starts tidying up some things in the house.

"Again?" I ask

"Yeah! We've been here a year ago" Mikey says.

"And we weren't in better conditions. At least, I wasn't..." Leo says.

"But that's all through, bro! All we have ta do now is ta regain strength and beat that Shredder off!" Raph says.

"Yes. But we need to train some more to be able to defeat the Shredder. Specially you, Mara" Master Splinter says.

"Me? Why me?" I ask.

"Because you have great powers that you do not even understand. You need to learn how to control those powers or they will overcome you" Master Splinter says.

"Yeah... Those powers... How could you create those thunder balls?" Don says.

"Thunder balls?! I don't even know what you're talking about! What exactly happened when I wasn't myself?" I ask.

"You mean you don't know?!" Mikey asks.

"No! The only thing I remember was to help myself from killing you, twice!" I say.

"That makes sense, because those were the only times when you could control your body again" Don says.

"Oooooh! What about that time when you were fighting with the air? It was pretty weird" Mikey says.

"Evil Mara wasn't fighting against the air, Mikey. She was fighting against me, only that you couldn't see me 'cause I was inside her head" I say.

"I don't think I understood" Mikey says, scratching his head.

"Duffers!" I say, smiling.

"Then you don't remember you created those thunder balls?" Leo asks.

"Nop" I answer.

"It was evil Mara who was creating them. She hadn't the fears Mara has, and was able to use the key's powers" Master Splinter says.

I gulp. *How can he know that?!* I think.

"What fears? As far as I can see, Mara doesn't fear anything that stops her to use her powers" Don says.

I look down.

"That's not entirely true..." I murmur.

"Mara entered the tournament in Battle Nexus when she was only a child" Master Splinter says.

I keep looking down.

"You entered Battle Nexus too?!" Raph asks.

"You also entered?" I ask.

"Shell yeah! Mikey here won! And Masta Splinta also won, once, such as yer dad!" Raph says.

"So that's how you know..." I say, looking down again.

"It's normal you earned fears. You were far too young" Master Splinter says.

"But how could you enter if you were only a child?" Leo asks.

"That's when the fears come in" I say.

Everyone stays silent.

"I entered the tournament after the one my father won. My uncle had the idea. He wanted to test the key's powers, so he got me in the tournament. But I couldn't control the powers… I can't even do it now! And in the climax of which battle, my tendency was to blow up... Until I won the final battle and became champion" I say.

"Excuse me. Blow up?" Don asks.

"An explosion of light. Seen that I can't control my powers, they free themselves and form an explosion, and after each explosion I pass out. That's what I'm afraid of: Those explosions" I say.

"Wow... So you were that little girl's statue" Mikey says. I nod.

"They called me Prodigy Child, for having such powers on such a young age" I say.

"But you can face those fears. You must do it! Or your powers will take over you if you don't control them!" Master Splinter says.

"But... What can I do?..." I ask.

"First of all you need to understand your powers. I can teach you something about them, but you will have to be the one finding the origins of the key" Master Splinter says.

"Very well then. When can we start?" I ask.

~A While Later~

I'm lying on the farmhouse's roof, looking at the stars. Master Splinter's lessons will start tomorrow. I still can't think of the possibility of exploding again. It all happened so long ago, and still, it seems like it was just yesterday. I remember every detail: The crowd screaming, my opponent, the huge pain in my heart, the explosion and my opponent lying on the floor... dead.

I close my eyes, not wanting to remember that again.

"Hey!"

I open my eyes and look up. It's Mikey, with his huge smile.

"Hey" I say.

"You don't look so cheerful, what's the matter?" Mikey says.

"How would you feel if you had to face your painful past?" I say.

"Right! Sorry about that" He says.

I smile.

"It's ok. I have to face it, one way or another."

"Yeah, but you don't need to be afraid!" Mikey holds my hand. "I will always be here! And if you actually explode, I will help you getting up!"

"Thanks, Mikey" I say, with a soft smile.

I lean closer to him and kiss him.

Mikey puts his hands on my waist and I put mines around his neck.

I realize now how much I love Mikey. We will always fight, there's no dough, but we will always love each other a lot, no matter what happens.

We break up and smile at each other. I grab a hand full of snow and throw it to his head.

"Hey!! What was that for?!"

I laugh and get up, running away from him. He grabs a handful of snow and throws it to me. It fails and we continue our snowball fight on the roof, laughing.

**Leo's POV**

Me and Raph are watching Mara and Mikey playing on the roof. They look so happy. Don, April and Casey join us.

"Awww! Aren't they cute?" April says.

"Naaah! They still seem two sickenin' lovebirds ta me!" Raph says.

"Ya just say that 'cause you don't have any lovebird for yourself!" Casey says.

"Ya, and ya have April, right?!" Raph says.

Both April and Casey turn bright red. Me and my brothers laugh. I look up at Mara and Mikey again. They are now sitting on the roof, hugging each other and looking at the stars. They sure make a good couple.

~Next Day~

**  
Mara's POV**

I'm sitting on the floor, listening to Master Splinter. He is explaining about the five main elements.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with my powers?" I ask. Master Splinter sighs.

"Your element is light, and that element can control all others. So, it is better for you to know about them"

"Oh! But why does the "key" have such powers?" I ask.

"Like I said, I cannot answer about the origins of the "key". They are a mastery, even for "

"My uncle didn't know about its origins?" I ask.

"No. The "key" was given to him when he was working at the beach. A mermaid came and gave him the "key", saying that only a pure heart could keep it safe, and he gave it to you, Mara"

"So the "key" came from the depths of the ocean? I always thought that it had come from the Utroms home world"

"Your uncle searched information for many years, but the only thing he could find was that only darkness could take the "key" away from you, and that it would most probably kill you, if it happened"

"Now everything makes sense" I say.

"Yes. I am afraid I don't know more about the "key". The rest will be left for you to find" Master Splinter says. I smile.

"Yup! I will do my best!" I say, getting up.

Master Splinter smiles too.

"Well, you can go now" He says.

I nod and run through the front door. Everything is white, except for the four turtles who are training outside.

"Hey, guys!" I say.

"Hey, Mara!" Mikey says, blocking Raph's sai.

I take out my katana and join the training.

Everything seems to be back to normal, now. Well, except for these powers of mine. I still have to learn about their past and learn how to control them. But I know I will make it! After all, I'm not alone...


	8. Christmas Time!

**This chapter is very small, but I want to declare it fully to Christmas so…**

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mara's POV**

Many time passed by and Christmas is tonight. We are reading the house for the celebration. It doesn't have that old aspect anymore, it seems very cozy now. We are finishing the tree.

"Who wants to put the star?" Leo asks.

"ME! ME!" Me and Mikey say, shaking our hands in the air.

"Why don't you put it together, then?" Don suggests.

We nod and climb the chair to get to the tree top. The tree is high! We have to stretch ourselves to get to the top. We both grab the star with one of our hands.

As soon as the star is placed in its place, we lose our balance and fall off. The problem is: I land right on top of Mikey and our mouths are touching each other, as if we were kissing. We turn 30 shades of red, knowing that the others are staring at us. We get up very fast and I kick him in the head, mad.

"Duffers!" I say and turn my back on him, crossing my arms.

Mikey just seems confused, looking at me and rubbing his head in the place I kicked him.

Everyone laughs.

~Some Time Later~

I'm getting some wood for the fireplace with Mikey. We already got a good pile.

"There! I think it's enough for tonight" Mikey says.

"Yeah! Let's take into the house" I say.

We take the wood inside.

"Fiu! There! Now we'll have a perfect Christmas!" Mikey says.

"Hum.... There's still something missing..." I say, with my hand on my chin, looking at Mikey.

A grin comes to my face, when a marvelous idea comes to my head, while I'm still looking at Mikey. He makes a scared face.

"Oh no, you won't!" He says.

"We'll see, we'll see...." I say, still with my tricky grin.

**Leo's POV**

We finished our Christmas dinner and Mara and Mikey just disappear! And it's almost midnight! Where the shell are they!?

I approach Raph, who is sitting on the couch, along with Don. April and Casey are on the other couch. I sit too.

"Hey, have you seen Mara and Mikey?" I ask.

"Nop! But I think I know what they're doin'" Raph says, with a huge smirk.

Someone hits Raph on the head.

"Ow!" Raph shouts.

We all look back and our jaws drop. It's Mara, in a sexy Mother Christmas suit.

"Pervert!" She says.

"Wow, Mara! That suit is awesome! Where did you get it?" April says and walks to Mara. Me, my brothers and Casey are too shocked to say anything. We all still have our mouths open.

"Thanks! I bought it on a shop nearby" Mara says, smiling.

"Boy, that Mikey is a lucky guy!" Raph says to my ear.

"But where's Mikey, after all?" April asks.

Mara smiles and walks to the door.

"May I present to you the Turtle Santa Claus!" Mara says and opens the door.

Mikey smiles in his Santa Claus suit.

"Now everything's perfect!" Mara says, with a huge smile.

We all smile, seeing that she's finally back to what she was. Mara and Mikey deliver the presents. We're all very happy. Now it's time for them to give their gifts to each other.

**Mara's POV**

I pick Mikey's gift and deliver it to him.

"Merry Christmas, Mikey! Or should I say, Santa!" I say, chuckling.

Mikey quickly opens his gift.

"'Justice Force Special Edition Comic! I always wanted one!" Mikey says.

"Well, now you have one" I say.

Mikey hugs me tight.

"I'm gonna get your gift!" Mikey says and runs through the door.

"I thought it was already here!" I say to the others.

Mikey gets back really fast, with a big pack in his hands. I look at it, surprised.

"What is it?" I ask, taking the gift.

"Open up and find out!" Mikey says, with a big smile.

I open my present.

I think I'm going to blow with so much happiness. It's a big Teddy Bear, wearing a necklace with a star pendent. I hug Mikey and kiss him on the cheek.

"Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! I always wanted one!!" I say, still hugging Mikey.

"You're welcome!" Mikey says, smiling happily and blushing.

I kiss Mikey on cheek again and he blushes more.

"And there's another thing!" Mikey says and grabs the Teddy, taking the necklace from it.

"Here!" Mikey says and puts the necklace around my neck. I pick up the star pendant.

"It's a star" I say.

"Yeah! For you to remember that you shine as much as a beautiful shining star!" Mikey says, with a bright smile.

I think I'm about to cry. No one ever gave me a gift that meant so much to me! I hug Mikey again.

"Thank you, Mikey" I say.

Mikey smiles and hugs me back.

After this, we all sit on the couch and watch a movie. I fall asleep on Mikey's shoulder.

~Next day~

Today we're gonna get back to New York. We're reading our stuff and putting it on the Battle Shell. Leo puts in the last package.

"There! I think we're done" He says.

"Now we just need ta survive Mara and Mikey's singin' through tha trip!" Raph says, getting on the Battle Shell.

Me and Mikey push him down and get in first. Raph falls right into the snow!

"Why you little...! Wait 'till I get my hands on you two!" Raph says and starts running after us, inside the Battle Shell.

Don, who was already on the Battle Shell, says:

"Hey! Cut that out! Or we won't even start the trip!"

Raph stops running after us and sits on the back sit, but he's still roaring at me and Mikey. The others come in too and the trip starts!

For Raph's doom, me and Mikey sing through the whole trip, and this time we don't stop! Heheh!

It was being good to torture Raph, but good things never last! We arrive New York and we have to stay alert to Foot ninja.

We get into the sewers very easily, though, and continue to the Lair. It seems like nothing is changed.

"It's strange... Maybe they gave up from looking for us" Don says.

"The Foot clan never gives up. It's part of their nature" Master Splinter says.

"Then it must be a trap!" Leo says, reading his katanas.

"Don't ya think they'd have attacked by now?" Raph says.

"Maybe they didn't even know where you guys lived" I say.

"What?!" They all shout.

"But you were the one who told them, when you weren't yourself" Mikey says.

"I know, and that's why I'm saying that maybe I didn't told them at all" I say.

"I don't understand! Didn't you say you didn't remember what you've done?" Don asks.

"For the most part of the time yes, but there were some times where I knew what I was doing and I think that when I was about to tell Shredder the location of the Lair, I was able to control my body and say that I would come with only a few Foot soldiers and that I would kill you guys myself so he didn't need to worry about your location" I say.

"Gash, Mara! Why didn't you told us this before?!" Don says.

"We can't have total sure, when we're being possessed, if what we do is a dream or if it is reality. At the time, I thought it was safer for us to move out. Besides, when I woke up, you were already reading things to leave" I say.

"Hum...Well, one thing's for sure: the Foot didn't found our lair. So it's still safe to live here" Leo says.

We all smile and go back to our usual routine. April and Casey go back to their home, Leo and Master Splinter go meditate and Raphael goes to train. Mikey sits on the couch and starts reading his new comic book. I sit next to him, holding my Teddy, and start watching a movie on TV.


	9. Explosion

**I'm SO sorry for the long wait! School hasn't given me a break lately and I don't even have time to breathe. Luckily, I'll have vacations in a week so I'll try to start being more frequent with this story. Thanks for waiting, dudes and dudettes!**

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mara's POV**

Some weeks passed by since Christmas and tonight's gonna be Full Moon again. Raph knows what I'm gonna do, but he doesn't seem to be interested in stopping me. That's good, because I would have to hurt him if he did.

Tonight, I'm gonna take my revenge on Shredder and I don't want the guys after me. This is a business between me and Shredder only! I will have to deal with this on my own, whether I'm able to do it or not!

"Mara, I'd like to talk to you. Can you please come to my room?" Master Splinter says  
*Oh shell! He knows!* I think.

I follow Master Splinter to his room and we both sit on the floor, face to face. I gulp.

"Mara, now that we are back, you have to start looking for the origins of the "key", my child" Master Splinter says.

I sigh in relief. *Ah... He doesn't know after all. Fiu!*

"I know, Master Splinter. I just don't know where to start looking" I say, smiling.

"Try the port, near the beach. You can go there tonight, instead of trying your revenge on Shredder" Master Splinter says.

*Oh oh!* I think.

"I wasn't going..." I start.

"You don't need to say anything. I can't let you face Shredder all by yourself! You know you can't face him alone!"

"But, Master Splinter, I..."

"Enough! You may go out tonight as Kitty Girl but you won't look for Shredder! He is trouble" Master Splinter says.

"Alright, Master Splinter, I understand. I won't look for Shredder" I say.

I get up and bow to Master Splinter. Then I leave the room, with rage pouring over me. I walk directly to my room, ignoring the guy's questions. Apparently, they heard Master's orders.

"Damn it! Why can't I do what I want to, anyways?! I'm not a child anymore and specially not Prodigy Child!" I scream in rage.

True is, I hate the name they gave me when I won Battle Nexus. I was way too young to know what I was doing. Boy, I really need to go kill off some steam!

I climb up my usual way out and go to the top building where my Kitty Girl stuff is.  
I get dressed as Kitty Girl, knowing I have to obey Master's orders and avoid going after Shredder. My father wouldn't like to see his own daughter disobeying her elders.

Just to think of my father makes me calm down. Suddenly, it starts raining and I look up at the dark sky.

"I miss you daddy... I wish you could be here with me..." I say.

Even though no one can see it with the rain, I know I'm crying.

"What'cha doin' 'round here, Kitty?"

I look back. It's Raph.

"Nothing, that's for sure... Say... Why aren't you wearing your metal suit, ?" I say

"I already left maself from that" Raph says.

"Oh really?" I ask, looking at him, inquiringly.

"Ya, really! Besides, I only wanted ta come an' check on ya. Ya seemed upset after Masta Splinta talked ta ya" He says.

"Thanks, big bro, but I'm fine. I can take care of myself, ya know?" I say

Raph chuckled when I called him 'big bro'. Well, it is true! He just acts like a big brother to me, always trying to protect me from anything and everything.

"Ya sure, lil' sis! Just don't get in any trouble!" He says, smiling.

Then he jumps off the building and I have no more sight of him, but I know he's going back to the lair.

I sit down on the floor, waiting, but soon I hear a scream from a lady, not far away.

"That's my cue!" I say and start jumping through the buildings to get to the place.

Once I'm there I find the two thuds and the lady and I place myself on the shadows, reading my claws.

"Yo! Ya should already know that's a really bad thing to do to a lady! Especially 'cause ya can get your lame ass kicked 'cause of it!" I say, getting out of the shadows.

The thuds look at me and gulp.

"It-it's the Kitty Girl!" One of them says.

"That's right and if ya don't stay away from that lady I swear I will make ya regret it!" I say.

But even though I said this, the thuds grab the lady and held her as a hostage.

"I-if you don't put those- c-claws of yours away, the lady gets it!"T he one grabbing the lady says, placing a knife by her throat.

"Well, ya can't say I didn't warn ya!" I say and attack.

The thuds don't even have time to think while I release the lady and kick them both to the ground. Once that business is off, it's time to take care of the lady. She looks pretty scared.

"Ya kay?" I ask her.

"I-I am. T-thank you" She says.

"You're welcome!" I say, with a bright smile "I can escort you home if ya want!"

"T-thanks! That'd be great!" She says.

I start walking with her through the way she's directing, but she seems to be felling nervous somehow. Her face is kinda preoccupied and she's always looking at me every once in a while.

"Say... Ya sure you're ok? Ya don't look so good" I say, still walking with her.

"Oh you can bet she couldn't be better!" A familiar voice says.

I look to my front and there he is. It is no more no less than Shredder followed by a bunch of Foot ninja and Karai herself! I look back to the lady on my side. She starts crying.

"It was all a trap!" I say, getting mad at the lady

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I needed the money!" The lady says.

The anger goes away and transforms itself into pity. I can see in her eyes that she's telling the truth.

"That's ok. It's alright. I can take care of these guys! Now, you get outta here and get yourself a safe place to stay!" I say

"Thank you! Thank you!" The lady says, now crying of joy.

The lady runs outta there and I ready myself to fight. It wasn't I that went to look for trouble after all; it was trouble which went to look after me!

"Ya know, I wanted to go look for you, but my honorable Master forbid me to do it! Guess I won't have to disobey him after all" I say

Shredder smirks.

"This time you're not getting out of here alive! Attack!" He says.

All the Foot attack me at the same time. I am able to fight back, but it seems that as more ninjas I put down, the more they appear! One of them is actually able to make a deep wound on my arm. I am actually starting to think that I can't get them all after all...

*Oh shell! They're too many! I need help...*

**Donatello's POV**

I'm working on my computer and I just found out a very interesting thing in a new program. It's really fascinating.

Mikey comes near me. *Oh no!* I think.

"Say, Don... What'cha doing?" He asks

"I'm doing "brainiac things", like you and Raph call it" I say  
Mikey seems a little disappointed.

"Oh ok... That means you're busy" He says, sadly.

I can't help but feel sorry for him. He's probably bored.

"What's the matter? Can't Mara play videogames with you?" I ask

"She's still locked in her room, probably in a terrible mood. I don't dare getting near the door!" Mikey says.

"She's still in her room? But she's already in there for hours!" I say.

"I know! But she just won't come out!"

"Hm... That's strange... Come with me to see if we can get her out" I say and Mikey brightens up.

"Really?!" He asks

"Really" I say and walk to Mara's bedroom door, followed by Mikey, and knock.

"Mara! It's me, Don! Let me come in" I say

No answer. I knock again.

"Mara!" I call back.

We hear the lair's door open. Raph comes in and freezes when he sees us on Mara's door.

"What'cha guys doin' at Mara's door?!" He asks, getting up the stairs.

"Mara hasn't come out of her room for hours!" Mikey says

"So what?! Let her have her privacy! If she doesn't want ta come out, then let her be!" Raph says

"But we're getting worried!" Mikey says

"Ya sure! What ya want is someone ta fool around!"

"That may be true, but we're really getting worried" I say and try to open the door.

It wasn't locked at all. It opened easily and Raph almost killed us, but before he did it we see what's inside the room.

Nothing.

Mara isn't in there and her "window" is open. Raph puts a hand on his face.

"But where's Mara?!" Mikey asks.

**Raph's POV**

Oh shell! Now I've done it! Mara will kill me for sure! That two had to go and tell Splinter Jr. Mara is missing! Now we're looking for Mara in New York City!

GRRRRRRRRR!

I just hope we don't bump into Kitty Girl or they'll find out she is Mara for sure!

We jump through the buildings, when we hear metal clashing.

"It's a fight!" Leo says.

"Way tha go, genius!" I say, but then I freeze when I see who's fighting.

It's Kitty Girl and the Foot, and, of course, Shredder! Kitty Girl seems to be in trouble. One of her claws is broken and she is full of deep cuts.

"C'mon guys! We gotta help her!" Mikey says, and jumps to the fight.

"Hey! I'm the one suppose to say that!" Leo says.

"Ya were just replaced, bro!" I say and jump after Mikey.

Don laughs and jumps too. Leo follows after a while.

**Kitty Girl's POV**

Boy, I'm tired! I've been fighting these guys for God knows how long and still they keep coming! Plus, they've managed to break one of my claws, so I'm a bit limited of weapons. The claw I still have is only useful to block SOME of the attacks, and still it misses sometimes, so I'm full of cuts. I can't hold anymore! I drop onto my knees.

Curiously none of the Foot attacks me. Shredder comes near me.

"Ready to give up?" Shredder asks. He hasn't participated in the whole fight!

"Never!" I say.

Shredder smirks.

"Fine. Prepare to die like your father did!" He says

"At least... I will die with honor and that's something you will never have!" I say, with all the strength I can get.

"So be it!" He says and raises his own claw. I close my eyes.

His claw starts coming down, but it never hits me. I open my eyes and Mikey, Don, Raph and Leo are holding Shredder's arm so it won't hit me.

"Guys..." I say, forgetting that I'm still Kitty Girl. The guys throw Shredder against the other Foot.

"You ok?" Leo says.

"C'mon, Leo! Does she looks like she's ok?!" Mikey says.

I smile.

"Ah! The turtles! I was expecting to see you here!" Shredder says, getting up.

"I predicted that you wanted to come and save your dear friend Kitty Girl, or should I say, Mara" He says.

I look at him shocked. *He didn't...*

"N-no! You're lying!" Mikey says.

"Am I? Ask your little friend"

Mikey looks back at me. I can't look into his eyes, but I can see that he is hurt because I lied to him. I look up at Raph and notice he's looking at me with worry in his eyes, but he also seems like he wants to say sorry.

"You knew about this?!" Leo asks.

"Can't say I didn't" Raph says.

Leo wants to lecture him, but guards the impulse and focus on the battle.

"Mikey, take Ki-ah...Mara out of here!" Leo says.

Mikey picks me up and starts running outta there. The guys prepare to fight the many Foot ninja, and Shredder and Karai themselves!

Suddenly, an idea pops into my head.

"Wait, Mikey! We gotta stop!" I say.

He doesn't answer. I think he's gonna deny me the word until I say sorry. I don't have time for this! I have to get in the middle of the Foot! It's the only way. I try to free myself from him, but he is holding me tight.

"Sorry" I say.

"For what?! For lying to me?!"

"No. For this" I say and use my claw to make a slight cut on his face.

The pain makes him drop me and I start running off to the battle.

"I'm sorry, Mikey! Please, take cover!" I say.

I continue running, but thoughts come running through my head. *What am I doing?! I can't do this again! Not after so many years! I may die! But... If I don't do it, the guys may... I have to do it!*

I get to the battle and run right in the middle of it.

"Get out of here! Take cover, NOW!" I scream at the guys.

I am starting to glow.

"M-Mara?" Leo murmurs

"What tha shell?!" Raph says

"Wha-?" Don says

"Just take cover! FAST!" I demand.

They all run behind a trash can.

Mikey gets there, with a cut on his right cheek and looks strait at me with a shocked face. I look at him.

"Just take cover, please..." I say.

He nods and runs to his brothers. I look at Shredder, who is completely shocked with what is happening. I start feeling that awful sensation I haven't felt in many years. It feels like someone is ripping my heart from inside of me.

*This is it!*

My eyes turn bright white and my whole body goes incandescent. One second later and there's a huge blow.

I explode.

Everything goes blank and I faint.

**Mikey's POV**

I can't believe what just happened. T-this is impossible!

There's a huge hole in the place where we were fighting and where the Shredder and the Foot were.

Like I said, were, cause they're gone! They just vanished into thin air after that explosion. That explosion... Me and my brothers could only cover our eyes and stay behind the trashcan. Mara was right on being afraid of that...

Mara! Where is she?! Could she be-?...

No! That can't be!

I start looking around, searching for Mara. I find her in the middle of the great hole and run to her.

She's very injured! She's full of wounds and her hair is released because of the explosion. She seems so fragile that I'm even afraid of touching her, afraid she might break up.

I finally pick her head up and look at her face. It's so serene, and it seems like she's a porcelain doll.

Don comes near us and knees next to us. He starts analyzing Mara.

"She's still breathing and her heart still beats, though it's very weak. We have to take her back to the lair or she might not make it" He says

"Then what are we waitin' for?! Let's go!" Raph says

I pick Mara up, carefully and start walking to the nearest manhole. The guys come with me and open the manhole, so we can get into the sewers.

"There! We're safer here" Leo says

"Safer?! There were no Foot up there! In case ya haven't noticed, they were all gone!!" Raph says

"Do you think Mara may have disintegrated them with that explosion?" Don asks

"I dunno. Let's just hope that it hasn't been in vain!" Leo says

I feel my brothers eyes turn to me. I haven't talked during the whole walk. I even forgot that I was angry at Mara because she had lied to me.

I just can't stop looking at Mara and think *Hang in there! Don't go out on me!*

We finally get to the lair and I put Mara on the couch. Don goes get some bandages and some hot water. Leo goes to call Master Splinter and Raph, well... Raph just goes to free his rage on his punching bag.

I stay on Mara's side, holding her freezing hand and looking at her gorgeous face.

*Please don't die! Please don't die, Mara! I love you! Please don't die!* I think

Master Splinter and Leo get to the room. Splinter gets near Mara and examinees her with concerned eyes.

"Leonardo told me what happened. She almost gave her life to save yours. That explosion almost killed her when she was young, but she made it through. I'm sure she will make it through again. Keep at her side, Michelangelo. It may help her coming back" Master Splinter says and puts his hand on Mara's forehead.

She shivers a little, but still, she doesn't wake up.

Master Splinter leaves. Don comes back with the bandages and the hot water. We bandage her wounds and put a cloth soaked in hot water on her forehead.

After a while, she seems to breathe a little better and her face regains some color. I can finally breathe normally again.

*She'll live!*

Some hours later, she even mumbles and starts opening her eyes.

**Mara's POV**

I slowly open my eyes and see Mikey standing next to me and the others around the couch I'm on. My whole body hurts, though my wounds are bandaged. I try to get up, but such effort is refused by my body.

"You feeling better?" Mikey asks

In that moment I notice he is holding my hand. I feel my face turn a bit red.

"Huh...Y-yeah, I'm better Mikey. Thanks, guys" I say to them.

"We're the ones that should thank you. You almost died because of us" Leo says

"Are they gone?" I ask.

"Who?" Don asks

"The Foot and Shredder. Are they gone?" I ask again

"Ya, we think they are" Raph says

"... Just like all the other ones I faced in Battle Nexus. I explode and they vanish..." I say

"But hey! This time it was a good thing! Shredder is finally gone!" Mikey says, smiling brightly.

"Yes, I think so..." I say, smiling poorly.

I can finally sit up. The other guys go back to their usual stuff, but Mikey stays with me.

Then I notice that I'm still wearing Kitty Girl's suit. I take out my cat ears. They were getting uncomfortable. Mikey just looks at me with his mouth open.

"I thought those were real!" He says

"Well, of course they aren't! I'm not a cat!" I say

Mikey just stares, now with a cheesy smile.

"What?!" I ask

"You're beautiful, ya knew that?" Mikey says

I smile and push him away, putting a hand on his face. He chuckles and looks into my eyes.

"If you're not a cat, then how come your eyes are yellow?" He asks.

"That's due a spell my dad taught me. It can change our face" I say, and start performing the spell to make my face go back to normal.

"Oooohhhhh!"

I smile at him. I am feeling a lot better now.

"I'm sorry I lied to you" I say

"It's ok! Just promise me you won't do it again!"

"I promise!" I say, smiling. "Say, do you wanna see a movie with me?"

"YES!!!!!!!!" He says, jumping from happiness.

I go get my Teddy and sit on the couch. Mikey chooses the movie and sits up on the couch next to me. The movie starts. I curl up against Mikey and he, very slowly, puts his arm around me.

We see the whole movie like this: Mikey, hugging me and me, hugging Teddy.


	10. Under the Sea

**I'm FINALLY free from tests and works! HURRAY!! (party time XP) Anyways, now I can really be more frequent with this story!**

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mara's POV**

Two weeks passed by since my explosion. I think it's incredible how I'm being able to forget about everything. Last time it happened I needed at least two years to get rid of such memories. Now they just seem to flow outta my mind. Maybe it's because I'm already used to it, or maybe it's because I've been having lots of fun with Mikey lately. We still fight a lot, but we also lay pranks on Raph and make him furious; drag Don to play videogames with us; make Leo tell us one of his awesome stories about ancient Japan, and stuff like that.

I'm glad he forgave me for lying to him. It's really great to have a friend like Mikey, but today I'm gonna get outta the sewers again. I need to go look for the origins of the "key", like Master Splinter told me to. Don is always saying I can search on the Internet, but I know I won't find anything there, at least not what I'm looking for.

Tonight, I'm going out to the port. I know the guys are making a plan to follow me, but I will be able to trick them and they will lose me in a second. The day passes by quickly and it's finally getting dark. I get ready to go out.

"You sure you have to go alone?" He asks.

"Yes, Mikey" I say, for the 104th time.

"But I'm gonna get bored without you here" He says, making puppy dog eyes. I smile.

"Well, you can always make Raph kill you while I don't come back" I say, walking through the lair's door.

**Leo's POV**

"Is she gone?" I ask.

"Yup!" Mikey says.

"You sure you want to do this, guys?" Don asks, getting his suit.

"Of course we're sure! Mara can get hurt or tha Foot may go afta her and catch her outta guard! Or maybe she'll even try an' explode again!" Raph says.

"Calm down, Raph! That's why we're going after her. To make sure she'll be ok" I say.

Once we're all well disguised, we get out of the lair and into the New York City streets. We have no difficulty in finding Mara. She's walking very slowly, but she's not walking towards the port, where she said she'd go.

"Where tha shell is she goin'?" Raph asks.

**Mara's POV**

I continue walking very slowly and I can see the guys are following me. I smirk as I'm about to make them lose the sight of me. I suddenly start running really fast and I can hear the guys running after me. I smirk again and I run to an alley. The guys get there some seconds later. I continue running to the end of the alley.

I jump to the back wall and take an impulse with my foot, flying back towards the turtles. Mikey screams like a girl when he sees me.

I land on them and continue to run laughing, while they stay on the ground thinking of what hit them.

I run for a while more until I get to the port. It seems like I lost track of them.  
A soft wind flows in the air. I look at the sea. It's so peaceful.

I take a deep breath and get my hands on my pockets, walking near the sea, where the boats are placed. I look around, looking for something unusual.

Nothing.

Not a sound, just the whispering sea. Not a move, just the waves getting to the shore. I sigh and start leaving, when I hear a weird sound from behind me. I turn around and nearly scream in surprise.

A huge light strikes me and I fall to the water. I swim back to the surface. The light that hit me is engulfing me, so I can't see a thing.

"Wha-?" I murmur

The light starts vanishing and I can see again, but I feel that something's wrong, as I try to hit my legs to keep on the surface, but I feel no legs. Instead, I feel my legs strike together, when I try to shake them. I try to put my feet to the surface and what I see gets me shocked.

What I see aren't my feet, it's a tail. A fish tail!

"This is unusual!" I say

I start understanding what happened. I became a mermaid!!

HOW IN THE WORLD DID I BECOME A MERMAID?!?!?!

The only thing I remember is that huge light... The light! Someone must have sent it!  
I just have to find that someone! Great! Now where is that someone?! Oh Shell!

I look around and no one seems to be around. I sigh.

"Great! Now how the hell am I getting outta here?!" I think out loud.

Suddenly, something bites my tail and pulls me underwater. I barely have time to scream.  
Once underwater, I open my eyes again, but boy I wish I kept them closed! A huge fish monster is dragging me to the bottom of the sea! And worse, I think I'm getting out of air! I start struggling to break free, but that huge ugly thing doesn't want to release me!

I get my hands on the place where he is biting me. A huge light spreads from my hands and the beast roars, releasing me. I swim as fast as I can to the surface and take a deep breath for air, but the beast didn't give up just yet. It comes after me again, and jumps from the water, heading straight to me. Fortunately, I can dive and escape it for an inch.

It comes after me again. I swim and try to lose him, but it simply doesn't give up! I start to feel I need air again.

*Wait a minute! I'm a mermaid! I can breathe underwater!* I realize and take a huge gulp of water, feeling my oxygen levels go up again.

"That's more like it!" I say underwater and continue to evade the huge fish monster, but he is really pushy and I start to get a little tired of him.

**Raph's POV**

Damn it! Ever since we lost Mara, we just can't find her again! I must admit, that girl is good! She got us all by surprise when she did that jump, even Leo!  
We are now running through the city, looking for her, on separate. We check the port, for this is where she wanted to come, after all. Yet, she doesn't seem to be here either!

There's no sign of her! We get together again at the dock, where the boats are tracked.

"Any sign of her?" Leo asks

"Nop! She disappeared into thin air" Don says

"But this is where she wanted to come!" Mikey says

"We know! But she doesn't seem ta be here!" I say, getting angry.

"She doesn't seem to be anywhere!" Mikey says

"Let's just keep looking for a while more. If we don't find her, we'll go back to the lair tell Master Splinter" Leo says

"Ya always want ta ask dear Masta Splinta what ta do next! An' ya call yerself a leader! What if Mara got captured by the Foot? Do ya think they'll wait for ya to tell Splinta bout this before they kill her?! Heh, Splinta Jr.?!" I spill at Leo.

"I'm just doing what I think is best! You just have to respect your elders and do as you're told!" Leo says

"Guys! Guys! This is no time to fight!" Don says

"Yeah! We have to find Mara!" Mikey says and me and Leo look at him.

He is with a worried face. It even makes us feel pity for him.

"Ya, yer right, Mikey. Let's go an' find her" I say, calming down.

We all turn, ready to start our search again, but what we see next shocks us.

Mara, with a yellow fish tail, comes jumping out of water with a huge monster following her.

"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screams, before she hits the water again, followed by the monster.

We all look at each other.

"Did ya see what I see?" I ask.

"I think we did" Leo says, still shocked

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Mikey says and jumps to the water.

"B-But, what about that huge monster? And how did Mara become a mermaid!? Mermaids aren't even supposed to exist!" Don says

"Ya! An' giant mutant turtles neither!" I say and jump to the water

Don and Leo follow, after a while.

**Mara's POV**

I'm seriously getting tired of this stupid monster! I can even fight him! I have no weapons and no legs! And he is just too big! I tried to call for help on the surface, but I don't think anyone listened to me.

I'm really starting to regret I made the guys lose me!

I swim as fast as I can to evade that beast, but it seems to be closer and closer to me. Suddenly, someone seams to appear and stop that monster. I look back and my jaw drops.  
The guys are in there, fighting the monster, but they don't seem to be able to hold their breath for much longer. They are forced to go to the surface again and get some air. I follow them, and so does the beast.

"What tha shell is happenin'?!" Raph asks

"I wish I could know!" I say

The monster comes jumping up our heads and we all dive in again. I see someone or something in the depths of the water.

"Quickly! Come here!" A male voice says.

I look back at the turtles. They are reading themselves to fight the beast, that's not far away from them.

"Quick, guys! Follow me!" I say, even though it's underwater.

They are able to listen and start swimming after me. I swim to where the voice came. A cave appears in my point of view. We all enter fast, before the beast bumps against the entrance.

It is too big to enter the underwater cave. It's dark inside and we can't see a thing, but by what I can hear, I can understand the turtles are running out of air! I panic.

What can I do to help them!?

A familiar light comes racing towards us and it passes right through me, hitting the guys right next. I hear deep breaths coming from them, as if they are able to breathe again.

"Whoa!! We're breathing underwater!" I hear Mikey say

"Don't tell me it turned you into mermaids too!" I say

"Not exactly" The male voice says.

Another light appears, but this one illuminates the whole cave, so we can see again. The one standing in front of us is a merman and he seems to be younger than us, maybe 14 years old.

"It's an honor to meet you, Pure One. My name is Garu, and I'm here to guide you to my village, so you can fulfill the ancient prophecy" He says to me

We all look at him, still shocked of what is happening. Wait... Did he call me Pure One?...  
"Ok! What's goin' on 'round here?! What tha shell is that thing?!" Raph asks, pointing to the cave entrance.

The turtles are floating next to me and Garu seams to, finally, notice the guys.  
"Wow! And you even brought giant turtles to help you! You are definitely the Pure One!" Garu says, cheerfully

"Wait, wait, wait! They're my friends! And why do you call me Pure One and what is this prophecy? And how did I become a mermaid?!" I ask

"I can't explain everything now, but I promise I'll explain it all once we're safe. Now, we need to find a way to get out of here" Garu says

"Aren't we safe here?" Mikey asks

Suddenly, the beast starts to charge against the cave entrance, making some rocks start to fall.

"That answers your question? Follow me! There's another way out of this cave!" Garu says, and swims deeper into the cave.

We follow him, avoiding the collapsing rocks. We approach another way out, being able to track some light from outside. The light that was illuminating us disappears and I notice that it was coming from a necklace Garu is wearing. We get out of the cave and the beast doesn't seem to notice it, being too busy tearing down the cave. Once we're far away from the beast, our swimming slows down.

"Where are we going?" Don asks

"To my village. It is hid from the Beast so it won't hurt our people. My two sisters are there" Garu says

"You have two sisters?" I ask

"Yes, one older and one younger. It's my duty to protect them, being the only male in our family"

"What happened to your parents?" Leo asks

"They were taken by the Beast" Garu says, with a sad face

I put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know what you mean" I say, with a comforting smile.

He smiles too and I look to his necklace.

"What is that light coming from your necklace? It was the one that turned me into a mermaid!" I say

"Oh, this! It is from my ancestor. It has mystical powers that can give you the characteristics of a water creature. It didn't transform your friends into mermaids, because they're already part sea creatures. This necklace passes through generations. Once a person has it, has the duty to go to the surface and try to find the Pure One to bring them to the village, and I found you, bringing you here to realize the Prophecy" Garu says

"Wait a minute! Why do you call me Pure One?" I ask

"Because you have the "key" inside you" Garu says

I am about to ask him how he knows abou the "key" inside me, but Don speaks first.

"Look! We're almost there!"

An underwater village comes to our view. It's beautiful! I've never seen nothing like it! The houses are made of sea plants. There are a few mermaids and mermen swimming through the houses, and little mermaids and mermen are playing with some fishes. A little girl swims to us. She "jumps" to Garu's arms and hugs him.

"Big brother! You're back!" She says, smiling brightly

"Yes, Lara. I'm back" Garu says, smiling to his sister.

"Did you finish that big monster off?" The little girl asks her brother

"Not yet, but I brought some friends that might just help us doing it" Garu says

Lara looks at us, with her big blue eyes. She smiles at me and I get down to look at her, smiling.

"Hello, Lara. I'm Mara! Nice to meet you" I say to her

She laughs and swims around me. She's really adorable.

"Let's go back home, Lara. I want to show Claire the Pure One" Garu says and starts swimming towards the sea village, holding Lara's hand.

We all swim after him. I can't stop feeling uncomfortable, because mermaids and mermen, from the whole village start looking at us, amazed, while we pass through them. We finally get to Garu's house. By the time, there are already lots of persons and sea creatures after us, murmuring to each other. Garu opens the main door and enters. We all follow, quickly, relieved to get rid of all those people.

"Garu! How many times do I have to tell you not to go out alone?" A mermaid says, from behind us

"Claire! I went out to get the Pure One! And I made it!" Garu says, proud.

"I don't care if you were gonna get the Pu-Wait. Did you say Pure one?" Claire says and looks automatically at me. She then cheers with joy.

"YAHOO!"She says

"This is my older sister, Claire. Don't worry. She's like this ever since she was born!" Garu jokes

"Oh Shut up, Garu! I'm Claire! It's nice to meet you, Pure One!" Claire says to me.

"My name is Mara!! And I think you owe me some explanations!" I say, getting impatient.

"Right! Sit down so I can start explaining the whole story. You see, this was all predicted to happen in a very ancient Prophecy..." Garu starts telling.

I sit up on one sea shell and start listening to Garu's story.

"For you to understand the Ancient Prophecy, I have to tell you the story of Goddess Oryna" Garu says

The other guys sit down on their own sea shells and Lara goes get some sea plant cookies, starting to eat them as she sits down on the ground.

"Goddess Oryna?" I ask

"Yes. Her story is very sad but I think it will give you the answers you are looking for. You see..." Garu starts telling the story.

* * *

Long, long ago...

A beautiful woman wandered under the sea. She wasn't a mermaid and neither was she human: she was a Goddess, the Goddess of Purity, but people called her Goddess Oryna.

She wandered underwater like a lost soul, with nowhere to go, but then, she spotted a little mermaid village and smiled. Her smile was the most beautiful thing a person could ever see.

She floated to the little village. As soon as she got there, everyone looked at her in surprise, but they recognized her as the Goddess of Purity and bow.

"Please, do not bow to me. You owe me no respect. I just want a place to stay and to be loved. I was wondering if that place could be this humble village" Oryna said

"It will be a pleasure to take you as our own, Goddess Oryna. Please make yourself at home. You can come and live with me; if you want" The leader of the village said

He was a very beautiful merman, and an honorable leader. His name was Yuka.

"Oh thank you! It will be a pleasure to live with you, but please just call me Oryna" Oryna said, smiling lovingly.

She stayed living with Yuka for a long time. As the time passed by, she found that the village was being constantly attacked by terrifying beasts, which were able to destroy the entire village and kill many innocents.

As her soul was so pure, Oryna couldn't let this happen, so she started helping and protecting the village with her amazing powers. The village couldn't be happier for having Oryna with them and to see her so happy, day after day.

As the time went on, Oryna also found love. Yes, she started creating feelings for Yuka, and Yuka for her.

Soon they gave in to their feelings and decided to get married, but on their wedding day, a huge beast, bigger than all the others they had defeated, attacked the village and shred it apart.

"Yuka, get the villagers out of this place and try to find a new and safer place to build a new village" Oryna said

Yuka sent all the villagers to the north grounds and then looked back at Oryna, who was still staring at the destroyed village, apparently not waiting to leave.

"But what about you, my love?" Yuka asked, worried.

"I will have to sacrifice myself to destroy this beast" Oryna said, with a peaceful voice.

"No..."

"It is the only way. Please, my love, understand. Once I finish this beast, my heart will be scattered from me. I want you to take it and keep it safe. As soon as you find possible, go to the surface and give it to anyone who passes by. That someone, no matter who, will give my heart to a little girl as Pure as I am. That girl will come back here with powers similar to mine and she will finally free you from these terrible beasts" Oryna said

"But you don't have to sacrifice yourself!" Yuka said

"Please, my love, understand. It's the only way" Oryna said

Yuka started crying, for the first time in his life, but still, he nodded.  
"Oh… One more thing" She said and created a necklace.

"This necklace has the power to give the characteristics of a sea creature to anyone, human or animal. Once the Pure One gets here, use the necklace. Pass it through the generations if she doesn't appear in your moment of life" She said

Yuka nods again, trying to keep calm and strong for his love. Oryna smiled for the last time and the couple leaned in for their last kiss.

As they parted, Yuka took cover behind a rock and Oryna placed herself in front of the big beast. She started sparkling and her eyes went white.

There was a sudden blow of light and Yuka got blind for a moment.

When he looked back, both the beast and Oryna were gone, but he noticed something: a lighting marble slowly fell to the ground.

Yuka caught it, while it was still floating on the water. That was the heart of Goddess Oryna.  
He sadly swam to where the villagers were, knowing he had lost his loved one forever.

Years passed by and Yuka accomplishes with what Oryna wanted him to do. He rebuilt the village in a whole new place, safer and more protected against beasts. Yes, because beasts came back, in a lot more quantity then what they used too, but still, the village was hidden well enough for the beasts never to find it.

Yuka noticed Oryna's heart had the power to unlock things that were never supposed to be open. For that reason, he named her heart as the "key".

Even though he wanted to keep his loved one's heart, he knew he had to accomplish with Oryna's last wish, so one day he went up to the surface to fulfill it.

It was hard to decide he had to get rid of it, since it was the very last thing he had from Oryna, but he earned enough strength to give it away like she wanted him to do. He avoided the beasts and emerged.

A man was passing by and Yuka called for him. The man seemed surprised for seeing such creature, even though he was himself an alien. He reached to the merman to hear what he had to say.

"Please, take this" Yuka said and delivered the "key" to the man, who examinees it for while.

"It is called the "key". Please give it to a pure person. It has beautiful powers. The Prophecy of Goddess Oryna must come true!" Yuka said

"I will do what I can" The man said

"Thank you" Yuka said and dived back into the water without another word, leaving the man with the "key" in his hands.

Years fly by and the Pure One didn't appear. Yuka raised a family and died without the appearance of the girl, but he did as he was told and left the necklace to pass by through the generations, giving the necklace to his nephew, who was the only one who could follow the prophecy after him. For you see, Yuka was never able to love again after Oryna… His nephew's son gave it to his son, and once again he gave it to his son and so on...

But still the Pure One never showed up and most of the Beasts died, leaving only one.

"But now, The Pure One has arrived and she will fulfill the Ancient Prophecy, told by Goddess Oryna herself, and, you see, I am the very own descendent of Yuka's nephew" Garu says to finish the story.

I am still stunned with such a sad story.

"I bet tha guy Yuka gave the "key" was that Mortu guy!" Raph says

"Yeah, and then he delivered the "key" to Mara. Just like Oryna said it would happen" Leo says

"So... All this was predicted… My whole life!" I say, getting a bit mad

"Well, not everything, no one knows what happened after you were given the "key""Garu says

"I tell you what happened! That thing ruined my life and it wasn't very pleasant back there either! But still, it only got it worse! I never asked for any of this and that Goddess Oryna doesn't have the right to decide my future!" I say and swim fastly through the door.

I swim as fast as I can to God knows where, but once I think I'm far enough from the village, I sit down on a rock and cry my eyes out.

*Why is this happening to me? Why me?*


	11. The key to unlock

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mara's POV**

I'm still crying but the funny thing is, since you're underwater, no one can see that you're crying. I hold my tail next to me and get my head over it. I keep crying until I feel one gentle hand touch my shoulder.

"There, there, sweetheart... Everything will be alright..."A gentle voice says

"No it's not! You don't know anything!" I say, still crying with my head on my tail

"I know more than you think" The voice says

*Wait a minute!* I think and get my head up to see who's talking.

It's her. It's Goddess Oryna.

"But... It's impossible! You're dead!" I say

"I am. And that's why you are the only one who can see me" She says

"The only one...?"

"Yes. I am here to help you with the prophecy. It led you here, but it still doesn't tell you how you are going to fulfill it" She says

"And you're here to tell me what to do next" I say

"Yes"

"Well, I'm tired of it! My whole life was guided by that prophecy of yours and now you want to tell me what to do?! Ha! I'm sick of it!" I say, getting up

"I know this whole situation hasn't been fair to you, but it will change once the last beast disappears" She says

"How much will it change?" I ask

"Well, you are still going to keep my heart with you, as well as my powers, but you will be free to do wherever you want with your future. There won't be any destiny waiting for you related with this village"

"What about the powers?"

"I won't lie to you. They will change your life a little, but you can choose whether to use them or not. When this is over, you will be able to follow your own destiny"

"Ok. So how can I fulfill this prophecy?" I give in

Oryna smiles.

"You just need to use your powers to defeat the beast" Oryna says

"But I don't know how to control my powers!"

"Use your heart. Not mine, but yours. It will help" Oryna says

"What do you mean by that?"

"You will have to find out by yourself. You will be my key to unlock the door to my dear Yuka"

"You can't see him? But why?"

"Because of my sacrifice. I am not a soul like the other ones. So I can't stay with them. But once you destroy the beast, I will be free at last and I will owe you my gratitude" Oryna says

I smile.

"Then I will fulfill the prophecy! Just so you and Yuka can be together again" I say, placing a hand on my heart.

Oryna smiles and puts a hand on my cheek, looking into my eyes deeply.

"I wish you good luck, my dear" She says and starts vanishing, vanishing completely with a small blow of light.

I start swimming back to the village.

Once I get there, I push Garu's house door and everyone inside looks immediately at me. I hold my arm behind my back and put in an innocent smile.

"Where tha shell have ya been?!" Raph starts

"Let's not make questions today" Leo says

"Yeah, you are all very tired and you need to rest" Garu says

"I already got some beds for you to sleep in" Claire says holding Lara on her arms, being fast asleep.

Garu and Claire say Good Night and go to their rooms, leaving me and the guys alone in the living room. There are some places where we could sleep in. I sit up on my "bed" and look up at the guys. They too are getting ready to sleep.

"Look, guys. I want to say sorry for exploding like that and for running away... I hope I didn't get you worried" I say, with my head down

"It's ok, Mara. We know how hard this is being for you" Don says

"Yeah, you don't need to say sorry! It's not your fault!" Mikey says

"We understand you wanted to stay alone for some time" Leo says

"Ya! An' why should we worry with such a pipsqueak like ya?!" Raph says, smirking

"Ha Ha!" I say, sarcastically, but smile. They are all trying to cheer me up.  
"Good night, guys" I say and roll over in my "bed"

"Good night, Mara!" They say

After a few hours of rolling over, I realize that I can't fall asleep. Maybe it's because of being underwater, or maybe it is because I'm still thinking of what Oryna said. Use my heart. What the hell does that mean?!

I roll over again and almost scream with scare. Mikey is right in front of me and he scared the shell outta me!

"Mikey! You scared me!" I say in a low voice

"Sorry. It's just that you were just rolling over and I was getting worried. Thought you could have had a bad dream. After all this and everything..." Mikey says

"Oh... I'm fine, Mikey. I just can't get to sleep, that's all. Sorry to wake you up" I say

"You didn't wake me! I can't get to sleep neither" He says

"Guess we're on the same situation here" I say, looking up

"Hey, Mara... Um... I was wondering if... ah... um..." He starts

"If you could sleep with me? Ok" I say, smiling at him

He cheers and lies down next to me. I get closer to him and place my hands on his chest. He places his arms around me, pulling me closer. It feels so good to be like that, on his arms. I feel safe.

Mikey falls asleep quickly and I start to feel sleepy myself. As I fall asleep, I realize how my heart feels so happy when I'm with Mikey...

Use my heart! That's what she meant! My love for Mikey!

Besides the sudden excitement, I'm still tired and I drift off to sleep, still on Mikey's arms.

**********************************************************************  
"How that shell did ya got there, Mike?!" A voice says

I slowly open my eyes and notice I'm still on Mikey's arms and all the other turtles are looking at us with a smirk on their faces. We both blush and get up from bed really fast.  
The guys all smirk and laugh. Suddenly, there's an earthquake. Garu and Claire come swimming into the living room.

"What's going on?!" Garu asks

A sleepy Lara comes from a room and Claire grabs her and holds her tight. The earthquake gets worse and we hear a huge roar.

We get out of the house to see a terrible thing to be seen: The huge beast found the hidden village and it is destroying it with all its strength.

"We have to do something!" Leo says and starts fighting the beast.

All the others follow him. Claire hides herself with Lara behind a rock and Garu grabs a spear. I just stand there looking to that awful scene.

*This is not gonna work!* I think

But then the beast hits Mikey, throwing him against a rock.

"Mikey!!!!" I swim fast to him

He is very wounded and unconscious. I look back at the beast, with anger in my eyes, which start to turn white.

"You guys better get outta here! And take Mike with you!" I say, starting to glow a bright white.

They all look at me, eyes wide open, but they all hide behind the rock where Claire and Lara are and Raph takes Mikey with him.

I look into the eyes of the beast.

There's a sound like a heartbeat and then a huge blow of light spreads from me.

Everything turns blank, both for me and for the others, and when they can see again, I'm gone.

*Dream*

I slowly get up to my feet as I feel my body again. I'm human again. I look around and everything around me is black. There's nothing and no one around, not a single sound. I start to panic.

"Hello! Is anyone there!?" I scream

Nothing.

"Hello!!!"

But no answer is heard. I fall to my knees and start crying. It happened to me the same thing that happened to Oryna.

"Use your heart" A far away voice says

I look up

"Use your heart, Mara" It's Oryna's voice

"But I don't know how!" I say, still crying

"Just follow your heart. It will show you the way" Oryna's voice says and starts vanishing

"Wait! Wait!" I shout, but she's already gone.

I look around again. This time, I find something lying on the floor, not far away from me. I get up and run to it. As I get there, I fall onto my knees again.

It's Mikey, and he's still unconscious.

I get closer to him and lay my head on his chest, crying.

"I'm sorry, Mikey. I'm sorry. It's my entire fault. I love you" I say, crying on his chest.

Then, I get my head up from his chest and kiss him gently on the lips.

A light appears from both our hearts and everything turns blank again.

**Raph's POV**

I hold onto Mikey as the light starts disappearing. He is still unconscious. We all look up the rock and both Mara and the beast just vanished. There is no sight of them.

"It happened... The same happened as many years ago. Both the Pure One and the beast disappear after a huge blow of light" Garu says

There's a sudden crack and Garu's necklace breaks.

"That means the prophecy is fulfilled" Garu says, sadly

"But Mara can't have disappeared like that, can she?..." Don says

"Unfortunately, she can..." Garu says

We all start crying. I look at Mikey again and he is still unconscious. How will he react when he finds out Mara's gone?

I let him rest on a rock and get to the other villagers who are preparing a tribute to Mara. As I turn my back at him, a light appears from behind me. When I turn around again, I find Mara kissing Mikey, still lying on the rock.

I get in complete shock. Mara breaks the kiss and Mikey starts waking up. They smile at each other with love in their eyes.

"What tha shell is goin' on here?!?!" I shout.

The others stop what they're doing and look back as well, seeing Mara and Mikey together.  
"Y-you're alive!" Garu says, cheering

"Yes, Garu, I'm back. Mikey here saved me" Mara says, smiling

"Really? Well, I don't remember doing anything!" Mikey says, getting up.

"Of course you don't! You were sleeping like a rock!" Mara says

"No I wasn't! I was unconscious! And you should be more careful, my head still hurts a lot!" Mikey says

"Yeah sure, !" Mara says

We all look at them fighting, confused and relieved at the same time, but they still owe us an explanation! I'm still not getting anything at all!

**Mara's POV**

Me and Mikey are still arguing, when a light appears, making us stop. We all look at the light and Oryna appears alongside Yuka.

"Thank you" She says and Yuka smiles

"You're welcome!" I say brightly

The couple hug each other and start disappearing. They completely vanish with a small blow of light.

All the villagers that are left start searching the remains of the village, looking for things to build a new village.

"You can go, now. We will be eternally grateful to you all. Thank you" Garu says

"You're welcome! But what about your village? It's completely destroyed!" I say

"We will build a new one. Better and bigger! Now we don't have to worry about monsters anymore" Garu says, smiling

"We are very grateful to you" Claire says

"Will you come back?" Lara asks, making puppy dog eyes

"I don't know, Lara, but I'll always remember you and you will always be my little mermaid!" I say to her

She chuckles and hugs me. I hug her back.

"But... How do I become human again?" I ask and then everyone looks at me, like they haven't thought of that before.

"The necklace gave you the power to become a mermaid every time you touch the water. Once you come out of the water, you become human again" Garu says

"Oh! And how am I suppose to take a bath if I transform into a mermaid when I touch water!?" I ask

"It only works with salt water" Garu says, kinda amused.

"Ooooooohhhhhh!" I exclaim

"We should go. Master Splinter must be worried" Leo says

I nod and the guys say goodbye from Lara, Claire and Garu and we all swim back to the surface. We swim to the port where that flash of light hit me before.

Like Garu said, as soon as I get out of water, I transform back, being covered in some kind of light, and when the light is gone, I'm human again. I sigh in relief for having my own legs back.

"Boy, I missed these!" I say

The guys laugh and we all walk back to the sewers and into the lair. The lair is pinch dark and it gets hard to see.

"Where's Master Splinter?" Don's voice says, from behind me

"I'm right here, my sons" A voice says and the lights turn on

Master Splinter is in front of us, at the dojo, with a not very pleasant face.

"Where have you been? You should have told me you were going out for this long!" Master Splinter says

"We know, Master Splinter, but unexpected things happened. But we also have good news" I say

Master Splinter tells us to sit on the floor and to tell him the whole story. We tell him everything we can remember. The prophecy, Goddess Oryna and Yuka, Garu, Lara and Claire, the village, the big beast... When we finish, Master Splinter taps his chin and seems to be in deep thoughts

"So you already know about the origins of the "key"" He says

I nod.

"Then you should start learning of how to control your powers, now that you know where they came from" Master Splinter says

"But... How can I learn it? Who will teach me?" I ask and then Master Splinter answers:  
"The Ninja Tribunal"


	12. The Ninja Tribunal

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mara's POV**

The turtles seam shocked for hearing the Ninja Tribunal name.

"You sure they can really help me? Aren't they too busy with their own problems with the world balance?" I ask

"You know of the Ninja Tribunal?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, my grandpa brought me there when I was little" I say.

"Your grandpa?" Mikey asks

"The Ancient One" Master Splinter says "And yes, my child, they will help. The Ancient One told me that at the time when you discover your powers, you should go to the Ninja Tribunal so they could teach you how to control it. Of course this should have happened a long time ago, but we never met in that time, only now" Master Splinter says

"I don't understand! Mara met the Ancient One after her father died?" Don says

"Yeah. Uncle Mortu took me to Japan once, and then I met grandpa. He was very happy to see I was alive" I say

"And the Ancient One also took her to the Ninja Tribunal, after knowing that such object as the "key" was inside her. The Ninja Tribunal said that her powers would reveal themselves in short time, but they would only get to be controlled properly a long time later, and when that happened, she should seek teaching with them" Master Splinter says

"And that time is now" Leo says

"Ah, whatever! I miss my grandpa anyways. When can we leave?" I say

"Tomorrow night"

~Next day, at night~

We're ready to leave! We passed all day packing the necessary things and making the plans for the trip. We're gonna leave on a ship to Japan at midnight. I'm now on my room, packing the last things

"Are you ready, Mara?" Leo asks, sneaking through the door.

"Yeah, almost done!" I say, putting the last stuff on my bag.

I get the bag on my back and run downstairs. I am anxious to get to Japan. I just can't wait to see what happens, and I miss my grandpa so much. I don't see him ever since I was 6!

Master Splinter and the guys are waiting for me at the entrance. As soon as I get there, we walk through the lair's door and continue walking through the sewers. We walk for a long time, until we get to the sewers under the port. We silently come out to the surface and quickly hide behind a pile of boxes.

"There's the ship!" Don says

We all look to where he's pointing. It's not a very big ship, but it's big enough to hide inside without being seen. We silently run to the ship and find the hidden entrance that Don found this morning.

We all get in the ship. The hidden passage leads to the basement of the ship, where we would stay the whole trip. There's some straw in there, where we sit. I lay my head on Mikey's shoulder and he lays his head in mine. Before we could know it, we were both fast asleep.

*************  
"Mara, wake up! We're here!" An excited voice calls

I slowly open my eyes and see Mikey in front of me, with a huge smile

"We're here!" He repeats

I get up and run to a small window, looking through it. We're in Japan. I smile brightly and start jumping in excitement. Mikey jumps with me.

"Calm down, you two! We have to get out of here before someone sees us" Leo says

Me and Mikey calm down and nod. We all get out of the ship through the hidden passage. We have to be even more careful than last night, because now is day and bright. We hide behind a short building and wait for everyone to leave.

"Very well, my sons. Now, we have to go to the Ancient One's house. He will know how to get to the Ninja Tribunal" Master Splinter says

"But how will we know how to get to my grandpa's house? I don't know the way" I say

"But I do" Leo says

I look at him, surprised.

"How?" I ask

"He trained me once" He answers and starts leading the way

The travel is very long and very dangerous. There are mountains in the way and we have to cross them to get to our destiny. When we're really tired and ready to give up, we get to the beautiful garden of my grandfather.

I look around. This was where I was born and where my parents met. A small tear comes drawling down my cheek, without me even noticing. Suddenly, a figure starts coming out from the shadows

"Who's there? Is that you, Splinter?" A voice says

As the figure comes out from the darkness, a huge smile comes to my face.

"Grandpa!!!!!"I shout and run to my grandfather's arms and hug him tight

"Mara? Is it you? Oh my little Mara!" He says and hugs me back, crying of joy.

"Grandpa... I missed you so much..."

I slowly let go of my grandfather and smile brightly at him.

"You are so grown up, little Mara, and you look so much like your mother" He says, and then looks at the others

"I suppose you are here because of Mara's powers, am I right?" He says

"Yes, Ancient One. We came to accompany Mara on her training" Master Splinter says

"Is it true that the Ninja Tribunal will help me?" I ask my grandpa

"The Ninja Tribunal has been waiting for you for much time, my child. We must leave immediately" He says

"Leave?! But we just got here! And we're tired!" Mikey protests

"We won't have to walk, Michelangelo" Grandpa says

A strong wind starts blowing and a huge boat flies in front of us, between the mountains. I look amazed at it. The ship is really flying! Grandpa starts walking to it.

"What are you waiting for? Come on in!" He says

We all look at each other and then follow my grandfather inside the big ship.

"Wait here" He says and enters a huge door with Master Splinter

I look around. The inside of the ship looks like a Japanese town. I already knew the ship, 'cause I had to ride on it to get to the Ninja Tribunal, when I was a child.

"This sure looks familiar!" Don says with a grin on his face

"How did you know the Tribunal? Do they have some bone to pick with you?" I ask the turtles

"It's kinda more we that had a bone to pick with them" Don says

"Ya! They kidnapped us!" Raph says

"They made us acolytes and trained us to defeat the true and dark one Shredder" Leo says

"Yeah! And against our will!" Mikey says

"Oh! That's right! When New York became a Japanese nightmare! I was there. I just stayed fighting some of those big ugly beasts, while I was hidden" I say

"You were there?!" They all say

"Well, duh! I live on New York, don't I?" I say

"Yeah, but why didn't you showed up?" Leo asks

"Hmmm, let's see, first because I didn't know who you were. Second, I didn't know what the hell was going on! And third, you were way far from me, back then" I say

"We gotta admit, she's right" Leo says

"And what 'bout your training? Was it hard?" I ask

"Well, let's say it was a little rough, but yours must be different from the one we had" Don says

"A little?! C'mon Don, they were killing us alive!" Raph says

"That doesn't make sense, Raph..." Don says

"Whateva!"

I laugh.

"And why did the Ancient One bring you here, when you were just a kid?" Leo asks

"That's happened the day after the "key" was putted inside me. Grandpa appeared only one hour after that happen. Apparently, he was informed by the Ninja Tribunal that it would happen and he should come and pick me up. He was very happy to know I was alive, because he thought I had died when my father did... He then took me with him to the Lap of the Gods, leaving my uncle behind. In there, they told me about the great powers I had been given and that I would have to learn to control them or they would control me. I didn't understand it at the time, since I was just a 6 year old kid. Then, grandpa took me back to my uncle and said goodbye. That was the very last time I saw him, until today" I tell

"So, he brought you because of your new powers" Leo says

"Exactly, and now I'm back to finally learn how to control them, nine years later!" I say

"Hey! Little ones! Come here!" The voice of my grandfather comes from the huge door

We all walk inside the door and catch ourselves on a huge room with five chairs, and sit on four of those five chairs are the Ninja Tribunal, dressed in their Shredder like suits.

"We welcome you again, Mara. We already knew this day would come, so we prepared everything for your training. Once this ship gets to its destiny, we will start your training immediately" One of them says

"The training will be harsh, so prepare yourself, young Mara" The woman Shredder says

"Now, allow us to introduce ourselves. You must have already forgot about who we are and how you should call us" One of them says

"I am Kon-seicho, master of spirit, and I will teach you the art and the beauty of the elements, Water and Air" Kon-seicho says, getting up from his chair

"I am Shikara-seicho, master of strength, and I will teach you the great power of Thunder" The woman says, getting up

"I am Juto-seicho, master of weapons, and I will teach you the grandiosity of Fire" Juto-seicho says, getting up

"This is Asomi-seicho, master of stealth, and he will teach you the element of Earth" Kon-seicho says, introducing the non-talking guy.

"All the pieces are set, now. We just have to wait for the arrival at the Lap of the Gods" Shikara-seicho says

"This is everything for now. You are dismissed" Kon-seicho says

We all bow to them and leave the gigantic room. I go see where we are now and stay with my mouth wide open. We are flying only some meters above open sea. The turtles, Master Splinter and Ancient One come and join me, as huge mountains start appearing. The mountains where I, in only a few minutes, will have the training of my life.

The big ship starts flying higher as we get closer to the mountains. My heart starts pounding.  
*How will the training be like? What will happen once I finish this training? What will happen if I can't even complete this training?* All these questions haunt me, as the ship continues flying higher and higher near the mountains.

"This totally isn't fair! When we came here, we had to climb the mountains by foot!" Mikey says, upset

I am able to put on a small smile when I hear that. The ship finally stops and we all get out. We're at a big Japanese village, but it is completely empty. I remember I thought that was creepy, when I was little. I still do.

We walk to a huge building, with a huge door with two dragons graved. Grandpa opens the door and we all get in. As it was to be expected, the Ninja Tribunal are already there, even though we haven't seen them coming out of the ship.

"Behold the Lap of the Gods! This will be your new home and the place where you will learn to control the five elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air and Thunder" Kon-seicho says.

"Prepare yourself! The training will start in a few minutes with Asomi-seicho" Juto-seicho says and a green dress appears in front of me.

"You will wear a different suit for each element you train. Now go!" Shikara seicho says

We all bow and leave. I look at the dress in my hands.

"Why the shell do they want me to use different suits?! Why can't I use my own clothes?!" I say

"When we are training the elements for the first time, we must use special suits to slightly control them. If you don't use the suits, it is very probably for you to blow" Grandpa says

"I'll always have to use it? For the rest of my life?" I ask

"No. Once you can learn to control your powers, you can use other clothes than these special suits"

"Oh! That's better!" I say and go to a private room to get changed. "Ok, I'm done! Where do I have to go now?"

"Asomi-seicho is waiting for you at the garden. Let's not make him wait" Grandpa says

I nod and we all walk to the garden. My jaw drops once we get there.  
Everything is dead! Every flower, every bush, every tree, they're all dead! The garden is just a view of brown now. Asomi-seicho is there, waiting for us.

"Asomi-seicho will start with a simple exercise. He wants you to revive the whole garden, with only a touch" Grandpa says

"But that's impossible! How can you say it's simple?!" I say

Asomi-seicho makes some gestures with his hands, but I can't understand what he means.

"Nothing is impossible" Ancient One translates.

I gulp and move in to the garden. A feeling of sadness comes to my spirit as I see so many plants completely dead. I knee near to a bush, where once there were flowers, and concentrate, touching the bush. As I touch it, the bush slowly comes to life and some flowers start making their way through the bush. It gains its color and life again. I smile.

Though the bush is cheerful again, the rest of the garden is still dead. Asomi-seicho comes near me and also knees next to the bush. He grabs one of the flowers and smashes it. Immediately, the rest the bush fades again. I look up at him, shocked.

"You were not able to revive the whole garden. You did not complete the exercise" Ancient One says

"But she made it to revive a whole bush! Isn't that good enough?!" Leo says

"I'm sorry Leonardo, but I'm not the one making the rules" Grandpa says

I slowly get up, knowing I failed my first exercise. A white dress appears in front of me, just like the other dress had.

"The next exercise will be with Kon-seicho, with the element air" Grandpa says and starts leaving the garden.

We all follow him, but as I walk, I look through my shoulder to see Asomi-seicho reviving the whole garden, with only one touch in a petal of a tree.

I dress the white dress in the private room and we walk to an open field this time. Kon-seicho is already there.

"For you to start in the element of Air, we will start with something simple" He says "I want you to fly"

"Excuse me?!?!" I say

"You can use the air around you to be able to get up onto sky. You should already know this" Kon-seicho says

"Ok..." I say and walk very slowly to the middle of the open field.

I stay focus and put my hands in front of my chest. My hair starts floating as I start getting more concentrated. When I'm fully concentrated, I start floating a bit into the air.  
I fly up a meter or so, but then I can't hold it anymore and fall to the ground.

"Ridiculous" Kon-seicho says

I get up and he leaves, but a red suit appears in front of me. I catch it and walk away to the private room, to dress the suit. The guys seem to want to say something, but I don't give them the chance. I'm still upset with what just happened.

The next exercise is with Juto-seicho, with the element Fire. It's gonna be inside a building.  
Me and the others walk to the building where the next exercise is gonna be. Juto-seicho is there.

"Ah! You finally arrived! Very well, then. What you have to do now is cross over this wall of fire, without getting burned" He says and, with a move, a huge wall of fire appears in front of us. We all get a step back.

"I have to cross this over?!" I ask

"Yes" Juto-seicho says

I gulp. *This is gonna hurt* I think and walk closer to the fire. I once again concentrate and slowly start walking towards the fire. The guys behind me gasp as I get into the fire and disappear through the flames.

I come out on the other side and the flames vanish. I'm not burned; at least that's what I think until a sharp pain comes from my ankle. I hold it so I can see it. It's slightly burned, but it still hurts a lot.

"You got burned. You failed" Juto-seicho says and starts walking away

"But she only got burned in the ankle! She could have gotten very worse!" Don says, but Juto-seicho pretends he didn't hear him and continues walking

"It's Ok, Don. I'm fine" I say, grabbing a yellow suit, appearing in front of me.

I then turn to grandpa.

"Where's the next exercise?"

We all walk to the next place. This time, I'm gonna train thunder, with Shikara-seicho. This time I get to wear a yellow suit. Shikara-seicho is at the place, with her hands on her back

"Today, you're going to practice something you already know you can do. You will fight me with what you call thunder balls" She says

This time, I don't even object. I just take a step forward and prepare for the battle. Shikara strikes! A thunder ball almost hits me. I create a thunder ball and throw it to her. She dodges it and disappears into thin air. I look around, confused. Then I notice someone is behind me. I quickly turn around, only to see a blur of light, as a thunder ball hits me.

"You're too slow" Shikara-seicho says and, as Juto-seicho did, she leaves.

I'm lying at the ground, filled with pain. That thunder ball sure hit me bad! The guys run over to me.

"Are you ok?" Leo asks

"I'm fine!" I say and painfully get up, ignoring the sharp pain in my whole body.

I grab the blue dress in front of me and start walking back to the private room, where I would dress it.

This time, I'm gonna train water, with Kon-seicho, in a small lake. As we get to the lake, Kon-seicho turns to me.

"This time, you only have to walk over this lake. Without failing" He says

I walk to the lake and once again, concentrate; though it's hard because of the pain I'm feeling. I slowly place a foot above the water and notice it's solid. I then start walking through it. Once I'm on the middle of the lake, a sharp pain strikes me and I lose concentration, diving into the water.

"You failed" Kon-seicho says and leaves

The guys come and help me out of the water. I put an arm around Mikey's neck.

"This wasn't fair! You were extremely hurt from your last exercise!" Mikey says

"I know, Mikey, but this is how things have to be. Mara wouldn't have a chance if this happened in battle" Grandpa says

We all walk back to the private room, so I could dry myself and dress my own clothes again. I don't say a single word through the whole walk. Once I finally have my clothes back on, we walk back to the big room, where the Ninja Tribunal is waiting for us. We all bow as we get there.

"We were expecting more" Shikara-seicho says

"But maybe we were wrong. Maybe you will never be able to control the elements" Kon-seicho says

"Maybe you will never be like your father was" Juto-seicho says

"How can you say that?! Mara is the most honorable girl I've ever met!" Leo says

"Ya! She's the most though girl I've seen in ma entire life! And I'm sure she is as good as her father was!" Raph says

I only look down, not being able to think about anything.

"And we thought that send you to the Battle Nexus would help you" Shikara-seicho says

At that, I look up, shocked with what I heard

"You were the ones sending me there?" I ask, my voice now weak

"Yes. We thought that by fighting at such a young age, you would discover your powers and you would want to learn more about them" Kon-seicho says

"But we were wrong. You just ran away from them until you were confronted once again! When your evil part started using them" Shikara-seicho says

*Through my whole life, I thought it was uncle Mortu who wanted me to go to the Battle Nexus, and after all this time, it was the Tribunal...* I think

"When Mortu came to Japan, to visit Young One, we told them both to come here and to bring the little girl. It was then that we said for you to go to the Battle Nexus" Jotu-seicho says

"I see..." I say, looking down again.

I take my arm off of Mikey's neck and bow to the Ninja Tribunal. Then I turn and walk away.

*I need some time alone, I need to think... I need to understand why I'm a failure...*

**Mikey's POV**

It's already night and I'm still looking for Mara. No one sees her ever since she left from the huge room. I'm a bit worried. She seemed upset. I walk through the big Japanese buildings looking for her.

Then, I see her on a roof top, looking at the stars and go there.

"Hey! Where have you been? I looked for you everywhere!" I say, getting closer to her

She turns her face from the sky and looks at me. Her eyes seem empty

"Hey, you ok?" I ask

She looks down, looking very sad, but suddenly she starts glowing bright.

"No, I'm not ok! How can I be ok?! I just realized I'm a complete failure! Not even what I thought about my story is true anymore! I'm hopeless!" She screams

I take a step back. The glowing is getting stronger.

"You're not a failure! Neither hopeless!" I say and try to get closer to her.

"That's not true! I can't do anything right! And like the Tribunal said: I'll never be like my father!" She says.

The glowing just keeps getting stronger and stronger and I start feeling like I'm being pulled away from her by a strong shield.

"Don't say that! I'm sure your father would be proud of you if he was here!" I say, trying hard to get closer to her, getting an arm protecting my eyes 'cause the light is too strong.

"Yeah, but he's not!" She says and her eyes start getting bright white

I understand what's happening: She's going to blow up again

"You're right, he's not here, but you'll never be alone, Mara!" I say and I'm almost reaching her, but a terrible pain hits me as I get closer

"But I am alone!" She says

"No, you're not" I say and hug her

My whole body hurts for doing this. She's burning!  
But the huge light starts disappearing and Mara gets her face on my chest, starting to cry.

"There, there, it's all ok now. Everything is gonna be ok" I say, trying to calm her down.

She just continues crying for a long while.

"I'm a failure... I couldn't do anything the Tribunal wanted" She finally says

"They were just too rough! There was no way you could do that perfectly!" I say

"I can't hold this anymore..." She says, crying again

I hold her tight.

"Everything is gonna be alright, and I will always be here to help you, just like I promised!" I say

She stops crying and looks at me. She smiles.

"Thanks, Mikey" She says

"I have to start writing on a book the times you say thanks to me!"I joke

She slightly punches me on the chest.

"Duffers!"

~Next Morning~

**Mara's POV**

I'm walking to the great room, where the Tribunal is. I walk through the huge door and bow to the Ninja Tribunal.  
"What is your purpose here?" Kon-seicho asks

"I'm here to ask for a second chance" I say

"We are not willing to give you a second chance. You failed, and no matter how many times you try, you will always fail" Juto-seicho says.

"Just give me a second chance and I promise on my honor I won't fail" I say

Kon-seicho gets up

"Very well, then. We will give you a second chance" He says

The green dress appears in front of me again.

"Dress that and go to the garden to repeat the exercise with Asomi-seicho" Kon-seicho says

I bow again and leave to the private room to dress myself. Once dressed, I walk to the garden. On my way there, the guys and Master Splinter spot me.

"Mara? What are you doing?" Don asks

"The Tribunal gave me a second chance. I'm gonna do everything on my reach to not to disappoint them again" I say, as I continue to walk

The guys and Master Splinter follow me. Once on the garden, I see Asomi-seicho and grandpa there. The garden is completely dead again.

"It is to repeat the exercise, right?" I ask Asomi-seicho

He nods with his head. I walk close to a bush and carefully touch it. The whole garden starts to get to life. Colors start surrounding us and the green of the plants comes back. In only one minute, the garden is completely restored. I smile.

"You made to complete this exercise, but there are still four more" Grandpa says

The white dress appears in front of me and I grab it. I bow to Asomi-seicho and turn to leave.

I dress the white dress and go to the open area of the next exercise. As usual, Kon-seicho and grandpa are already there.

"Very well, Mara. Repeat the exercise" He says

I nod and walk to the center of the open area. I close my eyes and my hair starts floating around me. My feet leave the ground and I start flying higher.  
Once I'm 3 meters above the ground, I open my eyes and start making some acrobatics on the sky. I fly low to the ground, make some pirouettes, and spin. After this, I land. All the guys are looking at me with their jaws dropped.

"Very well, Mara" Kon-seicho says

The red suit appears in front of me. I bow to him and walk away to the private room. Once I have the suit dressed, I walk to my next exercise.

"Mara, that was amazing!" Mikey says

I smile slightly. We get to the room of the next exercise.  
Juto-seicho doesn't say a thing and lights the fire wall. I walk closer to it and enter it, but this time I don't come out.

The guys start getting worried, but then the fire gets higher and they can see a figure between the flames. That figure is me. I made the flames higher and I'm in the middle of it. Juto-seicho nods, to tell me to stop. I make the flames get smaller again and come out of it.

The yellow suit appears in front of me and Juto-seicho leaves, without a word. I grab the suit and also leave, then dress it and walk to the next exercise. Shikara-seicho is there, waiting.

She gets herself in position to fight. I do the same, with an expressionless face.

We start to fight and I create a thunder ball to throw it at her. It fails and she also throws a thunder ball at me. I dodge it and we continue like this for a while, but then I create a really big thunder ball and throw it at her. There is no way that it could miss, but Shikara-seicho appears flying, above the great hole in the ground. She lands

"You passed your exercise" She says and the blue dress appears in front of me. She leaves.

The next exercise is going to be with Kon-seicho, on the lake. Once there, I don't even listen to what he has to say. I know what I have to do and I immediately start my exercise.

I walk perfectly above the water and when I get to the center of the lake, I make the water come up and start dancing on it. I then stop the dance and walk back to land. I look at Kon-seicho.

"You have completed the first exercises perfectly. You are ready to start your true training. We will continue tomorrow" He says

I nod and leave, with the turtles behind me.

*I finally made it. Now, I'm really gonna learn how to control my powers!*


	13. Incomplete

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Splinter's POV**

I watch as Mara trains the element Water. She has developed a lot ever since we got here and it has been almost two weeks. She doesn't use the special clothes anymore, as she is already able to use another clothes. She is now wearing a kimono, and I must say, now more than ever, she looks so much like her mother.

She makes the water from the lake swirl around her, in a beautiful way. The Ancient One is next to me, also watching. My sons come near us.

"Master Splinter?" Donatello calls.

"Yes, my son? What troubles you?" I ask

"We've been wondering something, ever since we first met Mara..." Leo says

"Yeah, why didn't you tell us of Mara's existence, before we met her?" Donatello asks

I sigh

"That the answer to that question leads to a long story, my sons" I say

"A story that we have to explain to you, seen that you got involved in all this too" Ancient One says

We all sit on the ground.

"Many years ago, when you were only little tots, we came to Japan for me to bring my beloved master's ashes" I start

"Yeah, you already told us that, Master Splinter!" Michelangelo says

"Splinter was the one telling me that Yoshi was gone and little Mara was able to escape" Ancient One says "But while you were still here, the Ninja Tribunal told me you could not know of little Mara's existence, because if you knew about her, the future would get changed and a disaster would come. So I did what they told me and said to Splinter he could not talk about Mara with any of you. For you, Hamato Yoshi never had a daughter"

"Oh! Now I get it" Donatello says, but the Ancient One continues:

"After you all left to your home, the Ninja Tribunal told me to go to New York and get little Mara. I did so and was finally able to see my little Mara after so many years. came along and he was reluctant on letting little Mara leave with someone he didn't know. He was very addicted to the child. Once we got back to Japan, the Ninja Tribunal told us that little Mara should participate in Battle Nexus. I objected, of course. Such a little child was not ready to participate on such battles! But they said she was special, that she had inside her the "key" along with extraordinary powers. So I let her compete, though I seriously regretted doing it. She started exploding after every battle she had and she was very weak after all. The poor child wouldn't stop crying, but finally, the nightmare came to an end and she won the Battle Nexus championship. She then left with to their home. I still remember the big hug she gave me before saying: 'Bya, grandpa' in my ear. I haven't seen her ever since, until now"

"That's a really sad story" Leo says

"It's even sadder than what you think, Leonardo. It broke my heart when my little Mara was crying in my arms, saying that she wanted to leave, that she didn't want to kill anyone else..." A small tear comes rolling down Ancient One's cheek "But I'm happy she made it through. She became such a beautiful young woman, so much like her mother, and now that she already met you, she can fulfill her destiny"

"Her destiny?" Leo asks

"Yes, Leonardo. Mara has a very harsh destiny to fulfill, but she needs to fulfill it, or she won't hold on for much longer" Ancient One says

"And where do we come in on that destiny of hers?" Michelangelo asks

"You are the ones who will help her through. Specially you, Michelangelo" Ancient One says

Michelangelo's face turns bright red. Raphael chuckles.

**Mikey's POV**

Mara is still training hard. She hasn't been the same lately. She doesn't even smile anymore! She's just way too focused on her training.

"Hey, Mikey!" Raph says and sits next to me

"Hey! Don't you think Mara has been acting a little strange lately?" I ask

"Ya! She hasn't been anoyin' anymore! I can't complain! Ya should do tha same, Mikey!" He says

"I'm not kidding! She doesn't even smile anymore!" I say

"Ya, ya! I know 'bout that. I also noticed. I think she just wants ta be good on her training"

"Yeah, but she doesn't need to be so serene!"

"Don't worry, Mikey. She'll go back ta normality once we get back" Raph says, trying to cheer me up

"I hope so... I kinda miss the old Mara..."

**Mara's POV**

My training is going on great. I've been trying really hard to focus, and I'm doing it. I think it's almost complete. I finish my Fire exercise and bow to Juto-seicho. I then leave the building of the Fire training. The turtles are waiting for me and Mikey looks at me with a worried expression. I look at him, expressionless.

"What?" I say

"Are you ok? You seam tired" He says

"I'm fine" I say and pass right through him, walking to the huge building where the Ninja Tribunal is. I bow to them.

"We are very pleased with your development" Kon-seicho says

"The training is almost complete" Shikara-seicho says

"There is only one more exercise. After which, you may all leave" Juto-seicho says

I bow again and leave the room. The turtles are outside, waiting.

"So, what did they say?" Leo asks

"They said we can leave as soon as I finish the final exercise, tomorrow"

"That's great! We're finally getting outta here!" Mikey says

I stare at him with a cold look.

"There's still one exercise missing" I say and, once again, pass through him, leaving him with a sad look.

I walk to our sleeping room and lay down on my blanket. I instantly fall asleep.

~Dream~

I'm lying on a familiar black scene and slowly get up to look around.

*Why have I come back here?*

I walk through the dark area, as if I am lost in a huge forest. Suddenly, I hear laughs. They seem so distant and at the same time so close. I look around, panicking.

*The laughs seam so familiar... But it can't be!*

Then, the laughs seem to come from behind me. I freeze and slowly turn around to see what's behind me.

I cannot believe my eyes as some very familiar red eyes stare at me...

*No.....*

~End Dream~

I suddenly wake up, sitting up on the blanket. I'm sweating like hell and my heart is pounding really fast. The turtles are still asleep on their own blankets and they didn't notice me. I put a hand on my forehead.

"It can't be... I killed her... She cannot be back..."

**Mara's POV**

I walk to the place where the final exercise is gonna take place which is completely different from the other ones. The exercise is going to be in an open area, but not where I usually go on my Air training. This place is much bigger.

I'm still thrilled with the dream I had last night, but I'm not gonna let that ruin my concentration on the training. It was just a dream, after all…

Once I get to the place, I stay surprised. All the Ninja Tribunal are there waiting for me. Never before were all of them present. There was only one of them at a time. I bow to them as the turtles, Master Splinter and grandpa arrive.

"Very well. Today, you are going to make combos with the elements you have learned until now" Kon-seicho says

I bow once again and get ready. I don't know what I'm gonna do. I only know I have to do it. I start by a simple combo: Water and Air.

I go up into the sky and start swirling and swirling faster and faster, and as I swirl in the sky, water appears and swirls around me, forming a water tornado. I slowly stop swirling and land on the ground.

"Very well. Now, try another combo" Kon-seicho says and I do as he's told.

I continue doing combos, mixing all of the main elements, while the Ninja Tribunal watch me, then I fall to the ground tired, as I finish the last possible combo. Boy! Am I tired!  
"Now, you will create a combo with all the elements" Juto-seicho says

Me and the turtles look at them in disbelief, but then I get up and take a deep breath, closing my eyes. Once again, I go up into the sky.

Light appears from me and it seems like my body is shining. The light becomes stronger and the guys have to close their eyes. I realize this is like my explosions, but this time I'm the one controlling the elements and they don't come out as an explosion. I stop shining and land on the ground, looking up to the Ninja Tribunal.

"The combo of all the elements is indeed light. Your training is complete. You may all go back to your home, once you are ready" Kon-seicho says

"YAY!!!! We can go back home!" Mikey says, jumping cheerfully.

But I don't jump, I don't laugh, I don't even smile. I just pass through the guys and go to the private room to dress my own clothes and take out this kimono.

*The training is already over... already... but... if it's over, why do I still feel this empty inside?*

After dressing my own clothes, I walk to the huge room where the turtles, Master Splinter, grandpa and the Ninja Tribunal are waiting. Kon-seicho opens a portal and we can see the lair on the other side. I bow to them one last time and then turn to grandpa, hugging him tight.

"Good-bye grandpa" I say, as I let go

"Good-bye, my child. Take care of yourself" Grandpa says and turns to Master Splinter. "It was a pleasure to meet you again, Splinter. Please, take good care of my little Mara"

"It was a pleasure to see you again too, Ancient One, and I will take good care of Mara, don't worry"

They smile and we all cross the portal and step to our home sweet home.

"It's so good to be back!" Don says, walking to his computer

The guys all nod and go to their different and regular activities. Master Splinter goes meditate to his room. I start walking towards the lair's door to leave.

"And where're ya goin'?" Raph asks, looking at me from his punching bag.

"Yeah, Mara! We just got here!" Mikey says

"Out" I simply say and pass through the main door, leaving the guys confused with my behavior.

*Maybe if I continue training… Maybe I will fulfill this empty I feel inside... Maybe...*

**Mikey's POV**

Mara has been acting really strange lately. She spends whole day training at the dojo and at night, she goes out and only comes back in the morning. We don't know where she goes or what she does during that time.

She doesn't play videogames anymore and she doesn't talk to anyone. She seems like she is only focused on her training and doesn't think on anything else. I once noticed that her eyes don't shine like they used to anymore. She's even worse than Leo! And I thought that was impossible!

I look at her as she trains her ninjitsu skills at the dojo. Suddenly, a click comes to my mind as I have a brilliant idea. I smirk. If Mara doesn't want to get back to what she was, then I just have to make her! And the best way to do it is by getting her mad. She has been way too calm lately.

I slowly get out of the dojo and go put my plan on action!

***************  
The "trap door" is ready. Once Mara steps to her room and opens the door, a bucket of water will fall on her head. I chuckle at the thought. It will be a miracle for Mara not to get angry! Everyone gets angry when I do this!

I hide behind a wall and wait for the show to start, but Mara takes an eternity to get back to the lair and I end up falling asleep.

I wake up with a loud SPLASH and find out Mara had come back and tried to step into her room, but the bucket of water fell in her head and now she's completely wet!  
I realize what happened and start laughing at Mara's stupid face. She looks at me with all the calm in the world.

"I indeed needed a shower, so thank you, but now I'm tired and need to go to sleep, so can you clean all this water from the ground?" She says

I immediately stop laughing and my jaw just drops. Mara enters her room and closes the door.

Not a scream, not a punch in the head, no duffers, no nothing! She just said that with all the calm in the world and got into her room! But I'm not gonna give up like this! Oh no! I have some other tricks I can use and Mara won't be able to resist! Heheheheh!

Next day, while Mara is training at the dojo, I get into action!

"Oh! Oooooh! My heart! I think!... Oh! It hurts!" I fall to the ground, as if I am in a huge pain, getting my hands on my chest. "Oh! Goodbye cruel world! I'm too young to die! Oooooh!"

I then stop and stay quiet, as if I was dead, with my tongue out of my mouth. Mara looks at me as if I was something random. Don was nearby and looks at the scene with a confused look.

"Don, I think Mikey isn't feeling very well. Can you see what's the matter with him? I have to leave" Mara says

"Huh... Ok" Don says, a bit reluctant, still looking at me with a confused face.

Mara leaves the lair without another word. Don comes down near me.

"What are you doing, Mike?" He asks, after sighing.

I get up

"I'm trying to get the old Mara back" I say

"Oh, and what does that have to do with pretending you're dying, doing an extremely stupid representation?"

"I think that if I make Mara mad, she'll be back to be what she was! And you're gonna help me!"

"Me?!"

"Yes, you, and I have just the plan" I say and rub my hands evilly

Don fixes the last preparations, or should I say the toaster, for when Mara wakes up. It's really early, but Mara started waking up at 6am ever since she came back from Japan.

"Is it ready?" I ask Don

"Yeah, once Mara turns the toaster on, it will explode, but Mikey... Don't you think this is too much?"

"Nothing is too much in war, bro!"

"In war and love, you mean"

Mara's room door starts opening and we hide behind the couch. She slowly walks to the kitchen and starts making her breakfast, but when she turns the toaster on, there's a huge BUM.

When the smoke starts vanishing, me and Don see that Mara is completely black from the ashes. I laugh out loud and Mara turns around, but she doesn't seem at all mad. In fact, she seems really calm.

"Don, I think the toaster is ruined. Can you fix it?" She says and walks to the bathroom, probably to take a bath

My jaw drops. Don just looks at this awkwardly.

"How can she?! How could she?! How can she keep the calm after everything I've done to her?! How can she just say that and leave, as if nothing happened?!" I say, upset

"Maybe she doesn't matter your pranks anymore, Mikey" Don says

"But she always did! Why would she stop now?! She changed... So much..." I say and sit on the couch, my head on my hands. Don also sits and gets a hand on my shoulder

"Don't worry bro. I'm sure this is just temporary. It'll pass in a few days"

"But what if it isn't temporary? What if she'll stay like this forever. I'll lose my Mara..."

**Mara's POV**

I don't know what to do anymore... This empty inside won't fill, no matter how hard I train. What's wrong with me? I've been training really hard and haven't been thinking on anything else, but still, I feel something's missing...

I lay on my bed, unable to get to sleep. Mikey has also been acting strange lately. He doesn't stop making pranks and then he just stares at me with a sad face. I must admit I am being a bit cold to him… I fall asleep after some time.

~Dream~

I stand again at the dark place, where there's nothing more than darkness. I look around; walking through the dark zone, understanding that this place is the deep down of my heart.

Suddenly, I hear those creepy laughs again. I look around, scared.

"Who's there? What do you want?" I shout.

"Heheheheh, you're getting weaker... Heheheheheh"

I continue looking around, while the laughs continue and seem to come closer...

~End Dream~

I wake up, suddenly, sitting up on the bed. These nightmares have been haunting me ever since I left from Japan. It's starting to worry me... but I continue ignoring it and focus on my training. I look at the clock: it's 5.30am. Seen that I can't fall asleep again, I get up and head for the kitchen for some breakfast. Then, I go training.

I keep training my ninjitsu skills at the dojo until night falls. Even though I feel tired, I don't stop. I have to fill this empty inside! I finish with a bow, turning then to leave the lair for my elemental training outside, but Raph comes in the way. He stands against the lair's door, not allowing me to leave.

"Where're ya goin'? "He asks

"To a place"

"What place?"

"None of your business"

"Hmph! It is of ma business! It's of all of us! We're all sickin' cared 'bout ya! Ya've been acting real' strange lately. An' these misterious nights ya spend outside, when no one knows what ya do or where ya go!"

"And no one needs to know"

"'Course we need! Ya're like a sister ta us! We don't want anythin' bad ta happen ta ya!"

"Thanks for the care, but I don't need anyone to worry about me. Now... Let me pass"

"No! Ya won't spend another night out!" Raph says, spreading his arms and blocking my way through the door

"Fine. Have it your way" I say and generate a blow of air, making him fly off the door and against a wall

I step towards the lair's door

"But it's rainin' outside!" Raph says, trying to get up, but he's too hurt

I look through my shoulder and smirk

"Ya think I care about that?" I say and leave the lair, leaving a hurt Raphael behind

I train the combos of elements at the top of a building. It's raining hard, but I don't care if I get wet. I finish the training, as I feel I need to go to sleep a bit. It's getting very late and besides, I feel dizzy and my head seems like it's going to blow. Am I getting sick? I shake the thought outta my head.

I walk back home, but every step I take is a sacrifice. Everything is swirling! I'm forced to put a hand on the wall and drag myself back to the lair. Once I get there, all the turtles are half asleep on the couch. They were waiting for me. Raph must have told them what happened.

I drag myself to the stairs, making the less noise I can, but still the turtles wake up. The first one is Leo. The guy has a light sleep! Then he wakes the others

"Where have you been?" Leo asks

"Yeah, we've been waiting for you for hours!" Don says

I'm forced to turn around and face them

"You have nothing to do with it!" I say and start climbing the stairs, but once I get to the second step, the world swirls more than ever around me and I fall back.

Fortunately, Don catches me. He looks worried at my pale face and notices I'm almost fainting. He puts a hand on my forehead.

"Mara, you're burning with fever!"


	14. The Return of Evil Mara

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mikey's POV**

Don lays Mara down on the couch and sends Leo to go get some cloths and hot water. He already measured her temperature and said she has 40 of fever, which is a lot of fever. Leo comes back with the cloths and hot water and Don gets a cloth in the water and puts it on Mara's forehead.

"All we can do now is replace the wet cloth frequently and hope for her to get better. Let's let her sleep for now" Don says

I look at Mara's face and notice she's breathing heavily. I hold her hand and kiss it.

"You'll get better, Mara. I know you will, and I'll be here to help you through" I say

My brothers just watch with sad faces.

"C'mon, Mikey, let's get ta sleep" Raph says, tapping my shoulder

I nod and go to my room, sleep.

~Mara's Dream~

I am, once again at the dark place, but this time, I'm not alone. There's someone here, not far away from me. That person seems familiar to me, but I can't imagine who it is. I walk to the person and stop once I get there

I can't believe what I'm seeing. The person turns around to face me

"Hehehehehe, yes, Mara. I'm back" The evil Mara says

"No... I killed you. You can't be back! It's impossible!"

"Oh, but it is. You see, you can't kill me. I'm part of you and you can't get rid of me. All you can do is prison me in this place, but now you're weak. That empty you say you feel inside was the thing that kept me in here, and now that it's gone, I'm free!"

"What do you mean, free?"

"You'll see..." She says, with her evil grin

~End Mara's Dream~

**Mara's POV**

I feel my body burning and start screaming as pain spreads through me. I start moving and moaning on the couch. The turtles all come running from their rooms to see me. Even Master Splinter is there.

Something's happening... Something is coming out of me as I continue moving on the couch.

A form starts appearing in front of me, coming out of me...

"What's happening?" Mikey asks, terrified

The form starts taking some shape. It has the shape of a girl... A girl just like me...

When the form is completely shaped, the guys can see that it's a girl just like me, but with red eyes...

It's evil Mara...

She was able to get a body of her own, somehow. She hits the ground and starts running away fastly. Leo and Raph still try to go after her, but they lose sight of her as she enters the sewers.

Don and Mike are more worried with me. I'm now breathing very heavily and everything is turning black again. The process of having evil Mara coming out affected me really bad. Mikey holds my hand tight

"What did just happen?" Leo asks

"I do not know, my sons, but Mara is not well" Master Splinter says

Don replaces the wet cloth and covers me with a blanket

"Who was that girl? The one that came out of Mara?..." Don asks

"Maybe Mara will be able to tell us something once she recovers. Now, my sons, we should all let Mara rest and go to sleep" Master Splinter says

They all nod and leave to their rooms. Master Splinter gives me one more worried look, before he leaves to his room.

**Mikey's POV**

I wake up and go to the living room. Don is already there, taking care of Mara.

"Morning, Don. How's she doing?" I ask

"She's resting, but she still has lots of fever"

"Will she be ok?" I ask, with worried eyes

"Hum... Yeah, I think she will-I'm sure she will!" Don says, with a smile

I smile too and knee near Mara. Don gets up and goes to the kitchen. I notice something shining on her neck. I get to grab it and see what it is. It's the star necklace I gave her for Christmas. She has been using it all along.

"I just couldn't take it off"

I look at Mara in surprise. She's awake and looking at me

"Mara!!!" I say and hug her, but Mara starts coughing and I let go quickly.

"Sorry" She says, with a weak voice

"It's ok. Are you feeling better?" I ask

"My head feels like it's gonna blow and I can't speak very well..." She says

I look at her with worried eyes

"Mara! You're awake!" Leo says and sits next to us

"Here, eat this, Mara. You need strength" Don says and hands her a cup of chicken soup.

Mara eats it silently.

"Mara! Yer awake!" Raph says coming from behind the couch

"Yeah, I guess I am" She says

"I told ya it was rainin' outside" He says

Mara smiles weakly. My heart speaks a beat. She's smiling again.

"How are you feeling, my child?" Master Splinter asks, coming from his room

"I'm a bit dizzy, but I'm fine now" Mara says, trying to get up

"No you aren't! You still have lots of fever" Don says, stopping her and laying her back down on the couch.

"But still, do you think you can tell us who that girl was?" Leo asks

"Yes. She was evil Mara..."

"W-what? But how's that possible?" Don asks

"I dunno… But she must have found a way to get out with a body of her own"

"What way?" Leo asks

Mara shakes her head

"I dunno. But she's still part of me and I have to get it back" Mara says, and, once again, tries to get up

This time, is Master Splinter who stops her.

"No, my child. You must stay here and rest. Me and my sons will look for that evil part of yours" He says

"B-but!"Mara starts

"No, Mara. You are very sick. You need to rest"

Mara looks down, but says nothing

"Now, my sons, we should take some breakfast and leave to find that evil Mara" Master Splinter says and we all obey

~Later on that night~

Me and my brothers come back from the search, as we found nothing. We spent the whole day and night searching the streets of New York and we found nothing strange! And we're all dying to see a nice comfy bed!

As we get into the lair, I look at the couch where Mara is and see she's asleep. My brothers all go straight to their rooms, but I go knee near Mara.

"Hey, Mikey! Lost yer sleep?" Raph says from upstairs

"Nah… I just want to stay here a bit. Night!" I say

"Night! Lovebird" He says, though I didn't quite heard the last word he said.

I look back at Mara, but she doesn't seem to be sleeping very well. In fact, it seems like she's having nightmares. Suddenly, she wakes up with a slight scream and breathing heavily. She's looks at me, scared.

"Wow! Calm down! It's just me!" I say

She hugs me.

"Hey, calm down. Everything's ok…" I say, trying to calm her down and hugging her back

"This empty... this empty... I can't fill it... I can't..." She murmurs, starting to cry on my chest.

"Hey, don't cry... What empty?"

"This empty... This empty in my heart... It's horrible... I can't fill it..."

"In your heart?"

"Yes... it's like... like I am alone in the entire world... like there's no one here, no one to care about, no one to love..."

"But, Mara, I am here!"

She takes her head off my chest and looks into my eyes

"I am always here! I'll always be here to help you, to protect you! You're never alone, Mara! I promised you that! Don't you remember?..."

"Re-remember..."

"Yes, Mara. Was this why you were going out all those nights?"

"Yes... I thought... that if I continued my training, this empty would be filled... And I spent my days training ninjitsu and my nights training the elements, but it didn't work..."

"Of course it didn't work. You can't fill that empty with training. You need something else..."

"What something else?"

"Love..."

"Love?..."

"Yeah"

I lean forward and kiss her forehead, but when I step back, Mara leans her head forward and kisses me full on the mouth. First, I get surprised, but then I return the kiss.

"How touching"

We break the kiss and look to where the voice came. A Mara, with blood red eyes, is looking at us, upside-down on the entrance of the lair

"No..." Mara murmurs holding me tight

"Oh yes, Mara. I am back, and I'm gonna make you pay for all those years you kept me prisoner"

**Mara's POV**

"Look sharp!" Evil Mara says and throws a thunder ball at us, but I am able to stop it by making it explode.

"Very well, Mara. You've been training, but are you ready for this?" She says and gets her right hand in front of her

Mikey, suddenly, looks as if something is chocking him, and he starts floating to Evil Mara. She smirks and presses the tight around Mikey's neck. All I can do is watch, terrified, while Mikey tries to break free.

"Does it hurt, Mara? Are you feeling the way I felt when you crossed me over with that sword?!"

Suddenly, a huge pain comes to my heart. I place a hand on my chest, unable to breathe. Then, there's a bak when Mikey falls to the ground. Evil Mara is also feeling this pain on her chest and she wasn't able to hold Mikey no longer. She's also with her hands on her chest.

Mikey comes running at me.

"Are you ok? What's the matter?"

The horrible pain ends and me and evil Mara take a deep breath. She looks at me, still with a confused look.

"What's with all tha racket?!" Raph says, coming from his room, but when he sees evil Mara in the air, he immediately takes out his sais.

"Yo, bros! WAKE UP!!" He screams

The other two turtles come out of their rooms and automatically look at evil Mara, still in the air

"I will come back! Meanwhile, beware your dreams!" She says and disappears in the air

I can't hold on to the fever and faint.

**Mikey's POV**

I hold Mara, as she faints.

"What tha shell happened?!" Raph asks

"I dunno, but Mara isn't well" I say

"Was that evil Mara?" Leo asks

"Yeah"

"She knows where we live and she can come back at any moment..." Leo says

"Yeah, but not now, not so soon. She seemed like she was hurt back there. I don't think she'll come back until she finds out what happened" I say

"What's the matter, my sons? I heard noise" Master Splinter says

"It's evil Mara, Master Splinter. She came back" Don says

"We have to take Mara out of here" Leo says

"Why only Mara?! That girl will come after all of us!" I say

"Not necessarily. She only came for Mara. It's Mara she wants, not us. We have to put Mara in a safe place and when evil Mara appears, we try to attack her" Leo says

"You sure weren't here when she came! She has Mara's powers! She'll blow us to dust!" I say

"We'll have to try" Leo says

"But, where can Mara go?" Don asks.

Silence...

"I know! Maybe she can go to April's! Evil Mara won't find her there!" I say

"You actually think she can take Mara in her house?" Leo asks

"Positive! I'm sure she won't mind!" I say

"Very well, then. Tomorrow we'll call April and ask if she can take care of Mara. Meanwhile, someone has to stay here during the night, to protect her" Leo says

"I will!" I say

"Oh no ya won't! Ya already tried ta protect her an' it didn't come out that well. I'll stay here" Raph says

Master Splinter nods.

"This was a very long day, my sons. We should go to sleep. Raphael, be careful, my son" He says

"Don't worry, Masta Splinta"

"And scream, if you notice something weird" Leo says

"Yeah, scream like a lady-Ow!" I start, but Raph hits me on the head

"I'm not like ya, Mikey" He says

We all go to our rooms, me rubbing my head, and Raph is left behind, sitting near the couch, where Mara is sleeping

~Next Night~

We are ready to take Mara to April's house. Don already called her and she said that there is a girl living in her house for a couple months, but there is no problem if the girl doesn't see us. The night is already up and Mara is asleep. My brothers are at the door, ready to leave. We have to be ready if evil Mara appears. She didn't appear during the night or the day, but we can never now...

I pick Mara up and go to the main door.

"Now, be careful, my sons. The night has many dangers" Master Splinter says

We then leave to April's house, having to go through the rooftops, but I have to be careful with Mara. I don't want to wake her up. We finally get to April's house window, the one that's connected to the fire escape. April and Casey are there, waiting for us.

"We have to be quick. Mikko is a very good listener. She'll now if there's someone new in here" April says and opens the window, and then she sees Mara "Oh! Mara seems really sick! Put her on the bed"

I lay Mara on the bed, and she murmurs a bit as I do so.

"We better go. We'll call tomorrow, April" Don says

"Ya, Mikko may hear som-" Casey starts

"April-san? Is something wrong? I heard noise" A girl with japanese accent says

"Oh, it's nothing, Mikko! It's just me talking to Casey!" April says and makes signal for us to leave

We leave in one second.

**April's POV**

Once I turn around again, the guys are already gone. I sigh in relief. If that girl saw them, she would definitely freak out! I walk to the living room, where Mikko is reading a book. Casey "flies" to the TV. She closes the book and looks up, once she notices me.

"There is a new girl that's going to stay here for a while. She's very sick, but you can come and see her if you like" I say to her

She gets up and walks after me to the room where Mara is. Mikko seems like a shy girl. She rarely speaks…

"How did she come in? I didn't hear the door" …Except for making smart questions…  
"Oh, she came in this morning, when you were at school. She has been very bad, but now she's sleeping and you can come and see her" I lie

"Oh, very well..." She says. She also never uses the word ok and she's very polite. I guess that's one characteristic of the Japanese people. I wonder why Mara isn't like that?... Probably because she didn't grow up in Japan.

We enter the room.

"I can't believe my eyes! Mara-san?!..." Mikko says, as soon as she sees Mara

"You know her?!" I ask in surprise

"Yes, she was my best friend, but she disappeared a year ago... I thought she had died... How did you find her?" Mikko says

"Well..." I say, knowing that I would have to say the truth and sigh in defeat.

"Ok, Mikko, I'll tell you, but you have to promise that you won't freak out and run away"

"Why would I do such?"

"I think I have reasons enough..."

I tell her about the turtles and she doesn't seem surprised at all

"What?... You aren't surprised, or scared, nothing?" I say

She laughs. It's probably the first time I hear her laugh.

"No. Mara-san got me so used to weird things that I don't get surprised with anything anymore" She says, smiling

"Y-you mean she told you everything?" I ask, still shocked

"Yes, we were the best friends... She never did hide anything from me and there was no secret among us, but she disappeared a year ago and I knew it had something to do with the explosion on that building. The one where the Utroms were living and the one where Mara-san used to live... But I never saw her again and never had news of her again... Where did you find her? Why is she sick? Where has she been during all this time?" She says

"I'm sorry, Mikko, but I guess you'll have to wait until Mara wakes up. She'll be able to tell you everything way better than me" I say

"Very well then. I will be patient" She says

I smile and leave the room. Mikko stays there, kneeing next to Mara.

**Mara's POV**

I slowly start waking up from a horrible nightmare, but there's some figure standing next to me. It seems so familiar...

"M-Mikko?" I finally ask, when I can see a bit better

"Yes, Mara-san, it is me"

There's no way I could confuse that Japanese accent.

"Oh, Mikko! I missed you so much!" I say and try to hug her

She hugs me and then lays me back on bed

"You should not move much. You are still very weak" She says

"I presume you want an explanation for my disappearing"

"I do, but only when you are ready to tell me everything"

I smile. The good old Mikko…

"I'm ready"

I start telling her everything, and I do mean everything. I tell her everything since the day my uncle left to his home country to that same moment. All my adventures, with the turtles and without the turtles. I even tell her things I never said to the turtles, like what I used to do before I met them, in that dreadful year when I was alone...

I really missed Mikko. She's the only person I can confide my deep secrets, and as I don't see her or talk to her in a long time, I have so many things to tell her, and she listens to everything without saying a word, just like she used to. Mikko is a very shy girl to strangers, but she's really nice to her friends. She has a very long black hair and very bright blue eyes. When my uncle left, I wanted to tell her something, just to let her know I was ok, but I had to think that two times when I realized the Foot were after me. I had to immediately find a good hiding place and I never had the chance to contact with Mikko.

I tell the last thing there is to say: about the evil Mara's return

"So, that evil Mara is the other part of you... Doesn't that mean she may also be sick, like you are now?"

"I never thought about that, but maybe you're right, though she didn't seem sick when she attacked the lair"

"Maybe, being your evil part, she does not feel things like you do"

"Hmm... Maybe"

"And that "key" you talked about is also intriguing... If she also has the powers, then she also has to have the "key", or at least part of the "key"."

"Yeah, you're right, Mikko!"

"Maybe that explains that pain you felt in your heart. Like you said, that kind of pain only appears if it is something related with the "key"."

"Yeah... But the "key" can't be scattered... It never happened before... That's why that pain was so strong... The "key" can't be scattered. One of us has to absorb the other, so the "key" can be complete again, otherwise, we'll both disappear... that's why she wanted to fight me! She wants to absorb me..."

"Then you have to be quick, Mara-san, and this time, I will help you"

I smirk, remembering something.

"And to think that I've been trying to get away that accent from you for over a year. I wonder if I'll ever be able to take it away..."

"Never"

We both laugh

"You have to tell me more about that Michelangelo... He seems nice" Mikko jokes.

My face turns red

"I don't wanna talk 'bout it!" I say

She laughs and I join her. It's so good to have good friends back, after so much time...


	15. Two Parts of One

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**April's POV**

A week passed by since Mara arrived. The guys call every day to know how she's doing and they were very surprised to know Mikko was Mara's best friend, and even more surprised when I told them she already knew about the Utroms. Mara and Mikko have been talking a lot lately. Mara told her everything there is to know, she must really trust her. The phone rings again: it must be Don. I answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, April! It's me, Don!"

"Oh hello, Don"

"So how are things going there?"

"Very peaceful, thankfully"

"And what about Mara? Is she better?" I hear Mikey's voice saying

"She... she is getting better... but this fever isn't normal, Don..."

"Really? Why not?"

"One day she seems to be completely well, then she has a nightmare and she gets worse again... Do you think this has to do with evil Mara?"

"Hmm... Maybe... What are those nightmares about?"

"She never said... Not even to Mikko..."

"That's strange... Evil Mara hasn't given a sign for more than one week! We're starting to think that maybe it's safe for Mara to come to the sewers again..."

"I don't think so. She might be waiting for you to get out of guard, so she can attack Mara. It's her who she wants after all..."

"Yeah, she just doesn't know where she is..."

"You think she'll find out Mara's here?"

"I dunno, April, but it's better for you to stay alert"

"Ok then, don't worry"

"Bye, April"

"Bye, Don"

As soon as I hang up, I hear someone falling to the ground.

"Mara-san!" I hear Mikko's voice

I run to the room where Mara is. Once I get there, I notice Mara is on the ground. She fell from the bed and she's moving as if something is attacking her.

"What happened?!" I ask Mikko

"I do not know. Mara-san was just sleeping and then she screamed and fell off the bed"

"The guys... the turtles... They're in danger! They're in big danger!" Mara murmurs, still rolling on the ground, as if she's in panic

"Casey! Come here!" I call.

Casey comes in running and sees Mara

"What happened?!"

"Mara fell off the bed. Help me put her up again" I say and we start lifting Mara up to the bed again.

It isn't easy: she's always moving and holding to her chest, panicking with something.

"The guys... the turtles... Mikey! Danger! They're in big danger!"

**Mikey's POV**

Everything has been so boring since Mara went to April's house. Nothing happens... I'm so bored... I'm sitting on the couch passing through thousands of channels, not finding one interesting enough. My brothers also seem to be bored somehow. I think we got so used to Mara that it gets boring just to be without her... Don has been calling April everyday and nothing happens in there either. He just hung up the phone and went to his computer, probably to continue searching for evil Mara.

Where is evil Mara anyway?! If we could just make her go away, then Mara could come back and would get better. I hear a noise and we immediately look to where the noise came from. It's Evil Mara!

"You sure are alert, aren't you? Where's Mara?" Evil Mara says

Me and my brothers quickly take out our weapons.

"As if we were gonna tell you!" I say

"Fine, I'll find out myself. Meanwhile... Let's play a bit, I have an element for each of you" She says, grinning

"Enough of this boso talk!" Raph says and tries to strike evil Mara

She takes an evil laugh and makes him go against a wall. As soon as he hits the floor, a bunch of flames surround him, not letting him escape.

"Don't worry, your brother won't get burned, he'll just get a bit dizzy with all the smoke. Now, who's next?"

"HAAAH!" Leo screams and attacks, but before he can hit her, she blows and Leo flies fastly against a wall, not being able to move anymore...

"Two down! Two ta go!" Me and Don gasp in fear. We can hear Raph coughing with the smoke and Leo's still unconscious from the huge blow on the wall.

"R-Runaway!" Raph shouts, from the flames

"Ok! Mikey, follow me!" Don says and starts running, but some blocks of earth emerge from the ground and surround Don, trapping him inside.

Evil Mara looks at me, smirking evilly.

"You were all right. It's Mara who I want, but to get to her it doesn't mean I can't use one of you..."

I start floating in the air, not being able to return to the ground. Then, a bubble of water surrounds me and it fills until I have water to my knees.

"That bubble will keep filling with water, until it is completely filled and you run out of air... That if your dear Mara doesn't save you first..."

I gasp, understanding what she wants to do and start punching the bubble, but it's as solid as a rock.

"Stop what you are doing, and free my sons!" Master Splinter says, realizing something wrong was happening and coming to the rescue.

"Oh, old mouse! I have something for you too! Think fast!" Evil Mara says and throws a thunder ball to Master Splinter. He dodges it.

"Nice, Nice... You've been training a lot, old mouse... Or maybe not that much..." Evil Mara says, grinning evilly

A plant is rolling slowly up Master Splinter's ankle, but he doesn't seem to realize.

"Look out, Master Splinter!" I shout from my bubble, but it's too late.

The plant is already trapping Master splinter and he can barely move... Evil Mara laughs and starts getting out of the lair, with me floating on my bubble after her...

Mara's POV

That dream... That awful nightmare... If at least it was just a nightmare... But it's the reality...

The guys are in big danger...

"The guys... the turtles... you gotta go help them..."

"Calm down, Mara-san. It was just a bad dream..." Mikko says

"No, it wasn't a dream! It was real! They're in danger! Evil Mara-" But my voice fails

"You are very nervous. Calm down. April-san went to get you a cup of tea. That will help you calming down, and Casey-san went to the lair. They must be alright..."

I calm down a bit when I hear Casey is going to see them.

"Here's your tea, Mara" April says and delivers me a cup of tea

I take the tea and drink it slowly. After some time, I start to get sleepy again and fall asleep...

~Dream~

Again at that huge dark place... But this time something's different... I can't move... My feet are trapped! They're being swallowed by a dark thing!...

"Where are ya, Mara?... Tell me so I can find ya..." Evil Mara's voice says and echoes

"I'll never tell you that!"

"Of course you won't... But you won't tell me..."

A figure appears in the darkness. It's far away so I can't see who it is... But it walks towards me and soon I can see him...

"No... D-daddy?..." I say as I can see the person that's in front of me is my own father...

"Mara... My daughter... What happened to you?..."

I shake my head

"No! You can't use him! You can't! I won't say a thing!" I say

"What won't you say my dear?" I start crying

"You can't use him... You can't..."

My father cleans up my tears and hugs me.

"My dear Mara, don't cry... I am here"

I start feeling as if I am a little girl again and cry on my father's chest.

"Oh, daddy, I'm so afraid! I'm terrified! I can't go on anymore! I can't keep my promise!"

"Shhh, shhh... Calm down, my child. Everything will be alright... Now tell me, what happened?"

I can't help it. Between sobs and tears, I tell everything to my father, saying how much I missed him and how I wish he was still alive...

"And now I'm forced to stay at April's house..." I finish and put a hand on my mouth as I realize what I've just done

My father grins evilly and his eyes start turning red. He then morphs into Evil Mara.

"Oh no..."

"Oh yes!"

As evil Mara leaves, I am swallowed by the darkness under me...

~End Dream~

I wake up suddenly, scaring Mikko who's right next to the bed. I am back at April's house, and as soon as I wake up, the room window bursts open and a strange wind, carrying leafs, gets in. The leafs start swirling and, once they're gone through the window, Evil Mara is visible and she's grinning evilly. Mikko places herself defensively in front of me, opening her arms.

"Hmph! Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt your friend now... I'm just here to leave a message: your lover sure seems to be found of water..."

"What have you done to him?!"

"Nothing... yet. Come meet me alone at the building you know so well. You must remember... The place where you lived that year... Go there at midnight alone and maybe you can save your lover..."

She disappears with the wind again. Mikko turns to me, with a worried face.

"You cannot go, Mara-san! You are still too weak!"

"But I have to go..."

"What happened?! I heard noise!" April says, coming into the room.

"It was evil Mara! She came here and said for Mara to go meet her alone!" Mikko says

"She has Mikey!" I say

"But you cannot go alone! We will all go!"

"No... I have to go alone... Only I can go there..." I say

"Mikko's right, Mara. You're still too weak"

An idea comes to my head.

"Alright... I won't go... But still, we have to go save Mikey!" I say

"We will, don't worry"

The phone starts ringing.

"I'll get it!" April says and runs to the phone.

"Mikko, could you make me a cup of tea. Maybe that will calm me down" I say

"Alright, Mara-san. I will be back in two minutes"

*A minute would be enough* I think.

Mikko leaves the room, closing the door behind her, and I slowly get up from the bed. I'm still too dizzy from the high fever, but I have to do an effort. I search the room for a piece of paper and a pen and write down a small letter. Then, I leave the letter on the bed and leave through the window.

April's POV

"April! The turtles are bad! Really bad! Ya gotta come down here ta help me! And Mikey's gone!" Casey's voice says from the phone.

"Oh no! Evil Mara just came here a while ago. She wants to meet Mara alone and she has Mikey!"

"Oh shell! Then bring Mara and Mikko too! We'll see what to do next!"

"Ok!"

I hung up.

"Oh no!" Mikko's voice says from Mara's room.

"What's the matter?" I ask, running there.

"Mara-san ran away!" Mikko says, delivering me a note:

_To Mikko and April,_

_Sorry for leaving like this, but Mikey may not hold on much longer..._

_Don't worry and don't come after me_

_I'll be fine._

_Mara_

"Oh no!"

**Casey's POV**

The first thing I did when I saw this mess in the lair was to free Master Splinter from those plants and call April for help. Leo and Raph are in really bad shape and me and Master Splinter alone can't take Don out of those blocks. Raph is sitting on a chair and he still can't breathe right and Leo is still unconscious on the couch. I hear someone coming from the main door, so I turn around to see who it is. It's April and Mikko.

"Where tha hell is Mara?!" I ask

"She ran away. Went after evil Mara" April says

"Then we have to go help her!" I say

"It is not possible. We do not know where they are. Evil Mara did not mention the place, she only said Mara would know where it is" Mikko says

"Besides, the turtles need our help. All we can do now is ensure they are in a safe place and take care of them there. Maybe we should take them to our house" April says

"That is a good idea, Miss O'Neil. My sons are extremely hurt and they need a safe place to rest, but who is this young lady?" Master Splinter says

"My name is Mikko and I am here to help, Splinter-sama. I have been a friend of Mara-san for a long time, and her friends are my friends" Mikko says

"Thank you, Mikko. We need all the help we can get" Master Splinter says

"Ok, ok. But how are we gonna take Don outta there?" I say

"Ah! So you did remember me! Very well, there's an engine in my lab that can fix this. It's gray with some red buttons" Don says from inside the blocks

April goes to Don's lab and comes back with the engine.

"You sure? This thing seems dangerous, Don" I say

"Absolutely! Now turn it on"

April presses a button and a ray spreads from the engine and hits the blocks, making them explode into little pieces of rock. Don appears in the middle of the dirt, coughing.

"Well, at least I'm outside again" He says

"Ok, now let's take your brothers outta here!" I say and start helping Raph stand, along with April, while Mikko and Don carry Leo.

We get to our apartment quite fast, and no one saw us. Me and April sit Raph in a chair and Don and Mikko, lay Leo on the couch. He seems to be awaking...

**Mikko's POV**

I slowly lay Leonardo-san on the couch, along with Don. Don goes to the bathroom to get a bath and I stay there, thinking about Mara-san. I sure hope she is alright. Leonardo-san starts waking up.

"W-Who are you?" He asks, looking at me

"A friend. Now rest a bit more. We will take care of you" I say softly.

Leonardo-san closes his eyes again. I get up and head to the window, where Master Splinter is.

"I sure hope, Mara-san is alright" I say

"She will be fine. She has a strong heart and she knows what she's doing"

"She has to absorb evil Mara, right?"

"Yes, she must. She needs to face her darkness so she can reach the light..."

**  
Mara's POV**

I jump through the rooftops I know so well. I've jumped these rooftops so many times before... I still feel a bit dizzy, but I'm trying to hold the fever back. I soon get to the building Evil Mara mentioned. I can't believe I'm here again... I thought I wouldn't have to come back here after meeting the turtles. This wrecked building… The place I called home, after my uncle left. I lived here a whole year and was always thinking about escape. That's the main cause I became Kitty Girl. I just wanted something to keep me entertained, to keep me away from this building and from the sadness and loneliness I felt before… And now I have to come back. Face my past. Face my sadness. Face my darkness. Save Mikey. Yes, save Mikey. This is what I have to do, and there's no turning back.

I get in the building through a broken window. Once I put my feet on the floor, I have to hold on to the wall, because a huge dizziness hits me.

"Aw... Is little Mara sick?..." A voice says

"You're sick too!"

"I am, but not as much as you... Do you remember this place, Mara? This was the place where you were controlled by sadness, the place where you almost submitted to me, your darkness!"

"That will never happen again! Where's Mikey?"

"Oh, you mean him?"

A bubble of water appears in front of me, having Mikey is inside, but when I try to run to him, it vanishes. The laughs of evil Mara echo.

"You actually thought I would give in that easily?"

Evil Mara morphs right in front of me. I ready my katana.

"Hmph! And I thought we could resolve this pacifically. You once submitted to me. Why not do it again? Let me absorb you and you will not feel sad or alone anymore."

"Never!"

"Think again. The "key" cannot be scattered. It never happened before, it should have never happened"

"That's why I'm here to save Mikey and to absorb you!" I attack, but she dodges. My vision isn't 100% either...

"See? You're not even in conditions to fight. Just let go, Mara, give up"

"NEVER!!!" I attack again and this time I can hit her in the shoulder, making a small cut, though I can feel the cut too.

"Hmph! Fine, have it your way!"

Her claws appear in her hands and she attacks. We get engulfed in the battle of our lives. She creates a thunder ball and throws it to me. I fly away from the explosion it created and create a tornado, making it swirl towards evil Mara, but she creates a blow of air and it vanishes.

"Great show of powers" She says and attacks, this time with fire

Fire surrounds me, making me scream in fright. I explode in water and the fire vanishes. I throw her a block of earth. She kicks it with her foot, and I have to get down so it doesn't hit me. I ready another thunder ball and prepare to throw it to her, but something stops me. Mikey, in the water bubble, is in front of her, and the bubble of water is almost full!

"M-Mara!" Mikey screams

I run to free him, but Mara stops me. We collide in the air, fighting, but then we stop, breathing hard.

"You're sick too. We'll not hold on much longer with this..."

"Then may the last one falling win!" She says and attacks once again, but this time I avoid her and throw her to the ground with great strength.

"So you won..." She says

"No... No one won this battle. There shouldn't have been a battle in the first place. You're part of me and I'm part of you. We belong to each other, even being different. We complete each other. There can't be light without darkness, and there can't be darkness without light. It doesn't matter who absorbs who. It would all get to the same... Let's get together again, this time with no regrets. Go to where you belong... To the depths of my heart. And every time I feel sad or angry, you will come up again, and I will know I am complete" I say

Evil Mara smiles.

"You would be complete, with or without me. You have something I will never have... Love..."

"Then let's have it together"

I offer her my hand and she grabs it, getting up.

"I will be happy... to belong to you... And… You should go help your lover now, or he'll get drown" She says, smirking in the last part

"Oh!"

Evil Mara smirks and vanishes into mid air to return to where she belongs: the depths of my heart. I smile and run to Mikey. The water bubble blows and he falls on the ground, coughing. I knee beside him.

"Ow... That hurts... Is that you my prince charming?" He says, looking rather dramatic

"Yes, it is me, my princess" I say, smiling

"Oh, thank God you came! I've been having this HUGE headache and that awful girl was really rude to me" He says, making a girly voice.

"Do not fear, my princess, I am here to rescue you. Now let's just get outta here, kay?"

"Aw, Mara! You blew it! You have to look heroic!"

I smile

"Let's just leave the theater for when we get home ok?" I say and help him get up.

"Ok..." He says and we start walking out of the building, but I am only able to walk two steps before I start fainting...

**Mikey's POV**

I grab Mara right on time. Poor dudette. She must feel really tired. I pick her up and get out of the building, walking back to April's house. I find everyone really anxious on the living room. All were waiting for us to return.

"Mikey! What happened to Mara?" Don asks

"She's tired, and I think she still has fever" I say

"Lay her on the couch" April says, getting up

I lay Mara on the couch and we all stay there, watching her sleep.

"What happened to you?" Leo asks. He is well now, the curatives helped him getting better.

I tell everything I was able to see, and how Mara absorbed evil Mara. Once I finish, Mikko says:

"Look at her. She seems so peaceful. I wonder if she is dreaming"

Mara's smiles in her sleep and murmurs:

"Mikey..."

My face turns bright red.

"Well, I guess that answers it!" Casey says and we all laugh.


	16. The Prodigy Child

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Raph's POV**

Things have been quite calm lately. Mara got better from her fever and now that Mikko comes to visit us almost every day, things here have been quite cheerful, and I kinda suspect there's something going on between Mikko and Leo... Gotta talk Mara bout that. Mikko, April and Casey should be getting here any moment. We're gonna make a dinner here at the lair to celebrate Masta Splinta's birthday.

"Hey, Raph! Help me with this!" Mara says, trying to pick up a huge box that's way heavier than her.

"Take it easy, Mara! What's that?" I ask

"Dunno exactly what. I think it's a gift to Master Splinter"

"Then let's put it next ta tha others"

"That's what I've been trying to do! But this thing is shell heavy!"

I laugh and help her taking the box next to Masta Splinta's gifts. There's already a big pile of them. I wonder where that rat get's so much friends to get so much gifts!

"Hey! Don't cha think there's something goin' on between Mikko and Leo?"I ask

"Yeah... They've been really close lately. Hum... Gotta talk Mikko about that"

The lair's door opens and Mikko, April and Casey enter. Mara walks to Mikko.

"Mikko!... Come here, I have something to ask you!" Mara says, putting an arm around Mikko's shoulders.

I compliment Casey and April as Mikko and Mara walk away, Mikko looking rather embarrassed and confused. April and Casey go compliment Master Splinter and I turn back to the lair's door, because someone else comes in.

"Leatherhead! It's nice ta see ya again!" I say, but he doesn't have time to answer because something bumps on him. Wait a sec! It's Mara!

"Leatherhead! Oh, big guy, I missed you so much!" She says

"Mara? Little Mara? Oh, oh, oh!" Leatherhead says as he hugs Mara.

I just look at them confused.

"Wait a sec! Ya know her?!" I ask

"Course he knows me! I grew up with the Utroms, remember? Well, Leatherhead here was my own private nanny!" Mara says, smiling brightly.

"And believe me; it's not easy to take care of such an unquiet child!" Leatherhead says, smiling to Mara "You wanted to explore everything! Even the rooms you shouldn't enter!"

"Well, I was a curious kid! I just wanted to know everything!"

"Was?!" I say, smirking

Mara throws her tongue out at me.

"AHHHHHHH!! Help!!!!!" Mikey's voice says from the kitchen

"Ok, who put Mikey on the kitchen?" Leo asks, while running to the kitchen.

We all run after him.

"What a mess!" Mara says

There's popcorn everywhere! Mikey's head appears in the middle of the confusion. We all look at him with mad faces. He just laughs nervously.

"Popcorn, anyone?" He says and laughs nervously again

We all just sigh and leave.

"Hey! HEY! You gotta help me with this! It's too much popcorn!" Mikey says

"Sorry, Mikey! You did the mess, you clean it! You love popcorn! Try to eat it all!" Mara says

"But it's too much popcorn!!"

Poor Mikey, I would have pity on him if I was a really nice person, but I'm not!

**Mara's POV**

Dinner goes on pretty well. It's nice to see Leatherhead again. I missed him so much. I still remember when I was just a kid and loved to run through those huge corridors, with Leatherhead always running after me, screaming for me to stop. I laugh at the memory. Soon the guests leave to their homes and I say goodbye to Leatherhead, making him promise to come back soon. Mikey is finally able to clean up the mess and joins to watch the movie. He wasn't able to eat popcorn during the whole film! I can't help laughing, but it gets late and the movie ends. The turtles and Master Splinter go to bed, but I stay on the couch. Mikey also stays behind, still holding onto his stomach. I laugh again.

"Ya actually ate all that popcorn?" I ask

"Don't say the word popcorn ever again!"

I laugh again and stop only to look through an open window. It's full moon night again. Mikey follows my eye and also notices the full moon.

"Oh! You're going again, aren't you?"

I nod and get up from the couch, walking to the main door. Mikey grabs my arm.

"Wait! I'm going with you!"

"No way, duffers! I'm going alone!"

"Wait! I have my own disguise!" He says and runs to his room.

I won't be there to see him when he gets back. I start walking to the door again but Mikey appears right in front of me, masked as... as Turtle Titan?!

"Turtle Titan?! I should have guessed it was you! Such a clumsy hero could only be you!"

"What do you mean, clumsy?"

"Exactly what ya heard! Now let's go! Ya better hurry up if ya want to keep up with me!" I say and start running

"Hey, wait up!"

We run through the sewers and then through the empty streets, and finally jump on rooftops, until we get to where I have my Kitty Girl stuff. I dress quickly behind a pile of boxes.

"Get lost, Mikey!" I say, noticing Mikey is trying to sneak a pick

Once I'm Kitty Girl, I kick him hard on the head. We jump through the rooftops again, until I stop on one high rooftop and sit up.

"Now what?" Mikey asks

"Now, we wait"

"Wait?! But that's so boring!"

"If ya don't like my way of working, beat it punk!" I say

"Geez!"

Mikey sits next to me. We stay there for a while and I start looking to the full moon and to the stars. I smile.

"The stars are go beautiful" I say

"Are you here to kick creeps or to look at the stars?"

"Both"

Mikey sighs.

"Man, this is boring!"

"You are bored, my friend?"

Me and Mikey suddenly get up.

"Calm down. It's just me" The voice says and Silver Sentry appears right in front of us.

"Silver! Hey, wassup?" I say and compliment him.

"W-what? You know him?" Mikey says, confused

"Ya, I know him. We used to kick some creeps together, but then I realized it was better for me to work alone" I say and start looking to the streets down there, looking for some creeps.

"And how have you been, Michelangelo. I don't see you for a long time. How are your brothers?"

"Oh! They're fine, thanks"

"I see you already know Kitty Girl"

"Yeah, she's living at the lair with us. Oh, and her true name is Mara!"

I kick him on the head

"That's private, duffers!"

"Ow!"

"I see you two are very close"

"ARE NOT!!" Me and Mikey say

Silver Sentry laughs, but then we hear some noises coming from down there. I look down and smirk.

"We've got pray!" I say, and ready my claws, jumping right next.

Mikey and Silver look at each other and then look down again only to see me balancing on a rope, to get to a lower building. Mikey starts doing the same and Silver flies to the place the noises are coming from. It's a building's rooftop, though it's not very high. Once I get there, I can't avoid my jaw from falling. It's Karai, along with her minions, the Foot.

"Karai?! But it's not possible! The explosion! You can't be here!" I say

"Oh, but I can. Get this out of here! I'll deal with this brat" She says

The Foot leave, taking some weird boxes with them.

"What are you doing here?! What were those boxes?!" I say

She doesn't answer

"What are you doing here?!" I repeat.

No answer. I ready my claws and attack. She blocks with her sword and so the battle starts. Mikey and Silver Sentry get to the place and see the fleeing Foot and me and Karai fighting. Mikey throws a rope at Karai's foot but it fails and she jumps to a higher building. I follow her, but she jumps to another building, getting even higher. I throw a rope to balance in it and get to the building she's in, but when I'm balancing and almost reaching the other building, Karai throws a ninja star and my rope breaks. I start falling, and I'm really high. This is gonna hurt! I pass through the building Mikey's in.

"MIKEY!!!" I scream, but there's nothing he can do...

I'm gonna die! But something catches me, for my relief. It's Silver Sentry.

"You should be more careful" He says, placing me back on ground, near Mikey.

"Yeah, thanks" I say, still a little dizzy from the fall.

"You ok?" Mikey asks

"Yeah, yeah, I am. But Karai escaped..." I say

"I wonder what those boxes had inside... They sure were in a hurry to run away with it" Mikey says

"Then it must be something important... But what really surprised me is how Karai is still alive. They completely disappeared after I exploded... I thought they had-oh never mind..." I say

"Yeah I was surprised too. But if Karai is alive, then Shredder is also alive!" Mikey says  
"Not sure I understood everything, but if I notice something weird that has to do with all this, I will contact you right away. Now I have to go" Silver says and flies off

"We should go too, I'm kinda tired. I think I need some sleep" I say to Mikey

"Yeah, let's go home"

We start walking back to the lair, but something, really bright, appears in front of us and stays there floating in the air. It's the jury from the Battle Nexus Championship!

"Greetings, Prodigy Child, Hamato Mara. I came here to know if you are going to participate in the Championship of this year. Please give an answer until tomorrow"

And with that, he disappears, leaving me and Mikey petrified and surprised.

"The tournament is starting tomorrow?..."

I just can't believe what I just heard… The Battle Nexus tournament is starting tomorrow... Will I be able to participate this year?...

"Mara... Let's go back to the lair. Master Splinter will know what to do" Mikey says, taking me off my trance.

"Oh! Yeah, you're right, Mikey. Let's go back..."

We start jumping through the rooftops, stopping at the building where I have my clothes. I change back and we continue to the lair. We get through the lair's door and Master Splinter and the other turtles are sitting on the couch waiting for us.

"For tha look on yer faces ya also received that bozo's visit" Raph says

Me and Mikey nod.

"The Tournament is starting once again tomorrow. Mara, are you willing to participate this year?" Master Splinter says and looks at me.

"I-I dunno..." I say, still confused

"You have to decide. It's already tomorrow" Leo says

"I know! I-I just-!" I say and run to my room, shutting the door behind me.

**Master Splinter's POV**

Poor child… She's still so confused and afraid. I sigh.

"What now, Master Splinter?" Donatello asks

"Now we go to the Battle Nexus and wait for the tournament to start. Mara needs some moments alone"

"Will she participate, Master Splinter?" Michelangelo asks

"I don't know, my son"

They all look down.

"Michelangelo, my son, go tell Mara we're leaving to the tournament"

"Ok"

Michelangelo climbs the stairs up to Mara's room.

"Mara, we're leaving. We're gonna go to Battle Nexus. Please get out, Mara. Come along with us" He says, to Mara's bedroom door.

No answer. Michelangelo gives up and gets down the stairs, with his head down. Raphael taps his shoulder.

"Don't worry, my son. She will make the right choice. Now let's go"

I leave through the main door, with my sons following me and walk to an alley. In that alley, I open the door to the Battle Nexus and we all get in.

**Mara's POV**

I just keep lying on my bed, thinking and thinking... I heard Mikey, but I wasn't able to respond. He wanted me to go with them, but I dunno if I can do it... I dunno if I'll be able to hold on another nightmare... But what if this time it's not a nightmare?... What if this time I don't explode... I'm not just a little kid anymore... I'm not the Prodigy Child anymore... I trained so hard. I learned how to control my powers; I am able to avoid exploding now. Yes, I can participate! Wonder if it's too late...

I get up from my bed and run through my room's door. The guys aren't at the dojo... *They must have left already...* I think. I run down the stairs and get out of the lair. I run to the alley where I can travel to Battle Nexus and the turtles aren't there either... I look to the wall. I still remember the weird symbols to cross over... Grandpa wanted me to know how to go back to Battle Nexus... Guess he always expect I was going back there, even after those terrible times I've been through.

I scribble the symbols on the wall and give a step back. I start saying the so awkward words to open the portal. The portal opens and I stay watching it for a while.

*This is the right thing to do!* I think and pass through the portal.

**Mikey's POV**

**  
**We get to the Battle Nexus and start walking towards the place where the tournament will take place. It's already day here. Another portal opens up behind us, but we don't give it much attention. It must be just another guy that came to participate in the contest.  
But still I look behind, hoping that it could be Mara, and I couldn't be happier with what I see.

"Mara! You came!" I say and run to her

"Think it's already late for me to join in?" She says

"Not at all!" Raph says

"Welcome back!" Don says

"Glad you came" Leo says

"I see you made the right choice" Master Splinter says, smiling

Mara nods and also smiles. Then our first opponents appear. Six of them, one for each one of us. We spar against them, until we all come out victorious from our battles. A light appears and Gyoji, the tournament jury, shows up floating as usual and the Daimyo appears next to him.

"The members of the third earth win!" Gyoji announces

"Ah! It is a pleasure to have you back on the tournament, old friend. Along with your sons" The Daimyo says, and then notices Mara "What a pleasant surprise! Hamato Mara! I have been waiting for you to return; though I understand your last tournament didn't leave very good memories"

"It is a pleasure to be back, even after so many years. Yes, it didn't leave very good memories, but I'll struggle to gain other memories, more cheerful than the last ones" Mara says

"I see you've grown quite much since your last visit. The little innocent girl I met some years ago became a beautiful lady"

Mara blushes a bit.

"Thank you, Daimyo" She says

"Allow me to accompany you to the Champions room" Daimyo says and starts walking towards the big Battle Nexus Castle

We all walk behind him. Gyoji vanishes as fastly as he appeared. Probably went to announce the winner of another battle. We get to the Champion room and I place myself next to my statue.

"Did I already tell ya I am the Battle Nexus champion?" I say

"Yeah Mikey, more than one thousand times!" Mara says

She goes to where her father statue is placed and bows to him. Then, she looks to the statue that's right next to Hamato Yoshi's. That one is from Master Splinter, and then continues looking right and faces the statue of a little girl with an innocent look and a katana on her right hand.

"That's you right?" I ask

"Yeah... I was so young back then; I didn't know what I was doing"

"I always wondered how a little girl could win such a tournament!" I say, without thinking

"I just won the tournament 'cause every time a battle reached it's peak, I exploded... My winning was not fair, none the less honored..." She says, with her head down

"Then you should do your best to prove you deserve to be a Battle Nexus Champion" Daimyo says

"Yeah, you are right, Daimyo. I shall do that!"

"The next battles should be starting soon. You better get yourself ready" Gyoji says, appearing once again

We all nod and go get ourselves ready to the next battles. Still, Mara seems a little reluctant and afraid... I think I have to encourage her somehow. I tap her shoulder.

"Hey" I say

"Hey..."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Mikey. Just a little nervous"

"Then don't be! You'll do great! I'm sure of it!"

Mara smiles weakly.

"I hope your right..."

**Mara's POV**

We slowly walk to the place where the next phase of the tournament will be held. I'm so nervous... What if I explode again? I'll end up killing my opponent just like I've killed so many before... Just to think of it makes me sick...

*Flashback*

I was having troubles battling my opponent. He was just too big and I was just 6 years old. Suddenly, his blade went high and started coming down to hit me. Instead of disappearing before the blade touched me, I just closed my eyes and started feeling my whole body going really hot. After that, I remember noticing a huge flash and then I just fell to the ground unconscious. When I woke up in the infirmary, with my uncle and my grandpa beside me with worried faces, I just looked at them and asked:

"What happened? Where's the big ugly monster I was fighting?"

My uncle just hugged me.

"It will all be alright, Mara. Everything will end soon. Just two more battles..."

I didn't understand what he meant, but I started understanding when that flash just kept coming and coming, over and over again. On the next day, I figured out every single opponent I battled was reduced to dust...

*End Flashback*

I shiver at the memory. We get to the place of the battle. Usagi is there; along with another guy I don't know. He looks like a rhino.

(Usagi and the rhino talk, but Mara and the turtles don't hear them)

"Well, I should go now. The matches must be starting soon" The rhino says

"You won't participate this year, Gen-san?" Usagi asks

"No. The reward isn't sufficiently high to risk my own life participating"

"But, my friend, the tournament is completely safe"

"Not this year. Haven't you heard? The Prodigy Child will participate in this year's tournament. There are awful rumors about her. They say some years ago, when she was still a little child, she exploded in the end of every match and reduced her opponents to dust. That was how she was able to win the tournament. I will not risk my life for such a small amount of money!"

"But, Gen-san, many years have passed since that tournament. The Prodigy Child grew up. She probably learned to control her powers in the past years"

"Maybe. Still, I won't risk my dear life trying to find out! Good luck, my old friend. I hope you don't have to face that cursed girl! Speaking of which, here she comes! Goodbye and good luck!" Gen says, running away right next.

We get close to Usagi.

"Usagi! It's good to see you will participate this year too!" Leo says

"Yes, and I'm looking forward to spar with you, Leonardo-san. Our last match wasn't exactly fair..."

"Yeah, but this time there won't be anyone to perturb the tournament"

Usagi then looks at me.

"It is a pleasure to meet you again, Mara-san. I did not recognize you in our last meeting. You are the Prodigy Child"

"Yes, I kinda am... Though I'm not a child anymore..." I say

"The first match is about to begin!" Gyoji announces.

"It's about to start. It is better for us to go get ready" Usagi says

We all nod. The walls start coming out of the floor and I soon lose sight of the turtles and Usagi. I turn to face my opponent. It's an alien with some big round blades as hands. He seems scared that I'm his opponent. I can feel he's terrified. *Not even my opponents hope that I'll make it* I think

I take my katana out of my back and hold on tight to it. I'm terrified myself. The siren rings, announcing the begging of the match. My opponent attacks me and I dodge, attacking him right next.

*If I am able to defeat him before I even have the chance to explode, then I won't be killing anyone* I think

I attack him once again, but he blocks with his blades. While I battle this alien, the turtles, Master Splinter and Usagi have their hands busy too. All of them have a whole ugly beast to take care of. I break from my opponent and jump back, breathing heavily. I'm not being able to fight as well as I used to. *C'mon, Mara! Focus!* But I can't focus... Instead, I can only have flashbacks from my first battle in the Battle Nexus, from when I was still little.

It attacks and I jump, avoiding being hit by those sharp blades. I can't attack anymore. All I can do is avoid the attacks and shake my head every time another flashback hits me. Soon my opponent is able to make me trip and I fall to the floor. I turn around, still on the floor, just to see he's raising his blade, ready to hit me with it. The blade starts coming down at great speed.

Once again I close my eyes and start feeling that sharp pain in my heart again... My body is becoming hot. Then, the flash... Everything turns blank and I faint.

*Flashback*

I was crying in my grandpa's chest.

"I don't wanna kill anyone anymore! I don't want to!"

My grandpa just hugged me.

"Everything will be alright, little Mara. It's almost over..."

"I wanna go home! I don't wanna kill anyone else! I wanna go home!" I cried, between sobs.

My grandpa could only cherish my hair and hug me tight.

"I don't wanna kill anyone..."

*End Flashback*

I slowly wake up and realize I'm at the Battle Nexus infirmary.

*Once again... I exploded once again...*

I hear someone coming in the room and turn my head to see who it is. It's the turtles and Master Splinter, along with Usagi.

"You're awake!" Mikey cheers and runs to me

I just look at him, my eyes empty.

"What happened to my opponent?..." I ask, already knowing the answer.

Everyone looks down. A tear rolls down my cheek.

"Hey! Don't cry! It's not your fault!" Mikey says

"Yes it is! I trained so hard to learn how to control my powers, and still I can't avoid exploding! Even after so many years, I'm still afraid! I still can't face my past!" I say, getting up, but I'm still dizzy from the explosion and I nearly fall. Fortunately, Mikey catches me.

"You can't blame yourself like that" Leo says

"Ya, Mara! Things happen an' we can't do anythin' ta stop it!" Raph says

"We know you trained hard to keep this from happening, but it's really hard to face our fears, even with a lot of training" Don says

"It is hard to control such strong powers" Usagi says

"But we all have faith in you, my child" Master Splinter says.

I look at him, tears forming in my eyes.

"Yeah! We all know you can do it! You're stronger than those powers! You'll be able to kick them up and show them who's the boss!" Mikey says, smiling brightly.

I softly smile back.

"You're right… Thank you, all of you. I'll do my best next time. I won't let these fears come in my way!" I say, smiling.

"Now yer talking!" Raph says

A light appears from behind them and the Daimyo and his little son appear.

"It is good to see you are already awake and ready to participate in the next battle"

I nod.

"And this time, I won't let another tragedy happen" I say and bow

"Are you alright, Prodigy Child?" The little boy asks

"Yes, I'm ok now. What's your name, little one?" I say, getting down to see him better.

"I'm Ue-sama"

"Well, Ue-sama, do you want to be my friend?"

"Yes!" He says cheerfully.

I laugh.

"The next match will start soon. You better go to the arena" Daimyo says

*Everything will be ok now, I just know it!*

**?????????POV**

"Is everything ready?" I ask

"Yes, Master. The Dark assassins are willing to cooperate" Karai says

"Good. Tell them that soon they will get in action. They should be ready to attack at any moment"

"Yes, Master" Karai says and leaves.

I look through the window to observe all the participants who left to join in the arena for the next match. I watch the turtles, along with their friend, Mara, walking to the arena and getting ready for the fight.

"Soon, this dimension will belong to me and I, SHREDDER, shall destroy you all!"

My evil laughs echo through the whole room. My enemies don't even suspect of what is to happen... Keep all the happiness you can get, soon there will be no happiness or hope!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


	17. The Battle Nexus Champion

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

* * *

**Mara's POV**

We are at the arena, waiting for the next match to start. Those grey walls start coming up again. I turn and face who I'll have to fight this time. It's Usagi.

"Guess I'll be the one fighting you next, Usagi!" I say, taking out my katana

Usagi takes out his and the siren rings. The blades clash. Me and Usagi start our fight, and we both know, it I'm not gonna be an easy one! Usagi blocks every attack I perform and attacks back. The fact that I'm having constant flashbacks again makes the battle harder for me. I just can't stop remembering all the battles I had when I was 6, every moment of when I exploded, and when I won the tournament... I was so confused with what was happening and so scared. I just wanted to go home... I start losing my concentration once again and Usagi is able to pin me to the floor.

"You are making this very easy, Mara-san. I don't like easy matches" He says, and waits for me to get up, but I don't get up.

I'm still unfocused and confused with so much flashbacks... Then another flashbacks, different from the others come to my head. I remember all the hard training I've been through with the ninja tribunal, I remember of when I discovered the origins of the key, my fight with my evil side, how I fought and destroyed Shredder.

*That's right! I've been through so much since my last tournament. I've trained so hard to control these powers...*

Then I remember what Mikey said in that beautiful night: I will always be here! And if you actually explode, I will help you getting up!

*That's right... I'm not alone... I don't have to take this burden on my own! I have the power to control these powers and I'll never do it alone! Mikey will always be here for me... And I'll always love him... That's it! My true power is my love!*

I get up and smile to Usagi.

"Then I won't let this match to be an easy one, Usagi!" I say and attack

The fight takes form once again, this time getting even more intense. Usagi is able to throw my katana out of my hand, leaving me with no weapon to face him. I just smirk.

"Ya know, I don't need a weapon, Usagi" I say and start floating in the air.

The crowd is stunned. All the other battles ended their battles and only ours is still on. I create a mix of all the existing elements and join it in one giant ball. I throw it to Usagi and he disappears before the ball hits him. I win the battle. The crowd cheers. I land on the ground and the grey walls come down, allowing me to see who won the other battles.

All the turtles and Master Splinter are still on. Then there are some other monsters I don't know. One is a big blue guy with four arms, the other is just another ugly monster.

"You made it, Mara!" Mikey shouts, running to me.

"Of course I did! Just 'cause you were there with me!" I say with a big smile.

"I-I was?" Mikey says, rubbing his head.

I laugh. Master Splinter leaves the arena talking to the big blue guy.

"Now we have some time to rest from the battles. Me, Don and Raph will go have something to drink. You guys wanna come along?" Leo says

"Yes!" Mikey says right away

"I'll catch ya later! I have someone I wanna see before that. Meet ya in the bar!" I say and run past them.

I run to find Usagi. He must still be up there! I run to where the losers go after each battle, but I don't find Usagi. I ask one of the aliens in there

"Excuse me? Did you see a samurai rabbit pass through here? You see I'm looking for him and I-"

"%&$#&#%#$$#%&£" The alien says in his own language

"Heh... Never mind..."

"I saw him! He went that way!" Another alien says

"Thanks!" I say and run to the direction he pointed.

I finally find Usagi.

"Hey!!!!!!!"

He turns to see me.

"Hey! Sorry about that! I didn't want to defeat you like that! I just-" I start but Usagi shuts me.

"It was a great battle. You should be proud, Mara-san. I am honored I lost to such a talented ninja as you"

He smiles, making me smile too.

"Thanks" I say

We both walk to the bar and find the turtles. We all join in a drink and cheer so our next matches will also be great.

After a well rested evening, we walk back to the arena. It's time for the quarters of finals now. Gyoji appears in front of us and shows us some kind of crystal ball.

"Now, each of you will take a small piece of color out of this marble. The opponents who get the same color will have to fight each other" Gyoji explains

We all get our hands inside the marble and come out with a piece of color. Master Splinter turns to the big blue guy. They seem to have been good friends for a long time.

"It will be an honor to fight you, old friend"

And as soon as he says that, they both disappear to appear back in one of the four parts of the arena.

"Heh heh heh! It will be fun ta fight ya, Donnie!" Raph says, smirking

They also disappear. Leo bows to the other monster and they also disappear. Then that just leaves...

"Oh no..." I say

"Oh yes!" Mikey says "You'll have to fight me! The Battle Nexus Champion! And you're gonna loose!"

"What makes ya think I'll make your life easy?" I say, smirking

Mikey just gulps. It's our turn to disappear and appear back at the arena.

"C'mon, Mara, don't take it the wrong way, but I'll definitely defeat you in less than one second!"

"We'll see about that" I say, taking out my katana.

Mikey seems to be getting a little scared...

"Aw, you're not gonna be that hard on me, will ya?"

I just smirk. That makes Mikey go even more nervous.

"Don't worry, Mikey! I'll make this battle short for ya! I'll defeat ya in less than one second! Got it?" I say, smirking

"Ya couldn't do that to your own true love, could ya?"

I just laugh myself out at that.

"W-what?" I say, still holding to my stomach, laughing "First, you're not even my own true love, second, even if you were my own true love, what makes you think I will make it easy for ya?"

"Well, heh, just because... you don't want to ruin my beauty!"

At that, I laugh even harder than before

"Ok, I get the picture! You're trying to make me laugh so hard, so I won't be able to fight you when the siren rings. Well, my friend, that ain't gonna happen!" I say, getting myself ready again.

"Aw, bummer!"

Mikey finally takes out his nunchuks and gets ready to battle. The siren rings. I attack, making Mikey jump and scream like a lady. I attack once again, and Mikey dodges it, screaming like a lady once again.

"Can ya please stop screaming like that?! You're getting to my nerves!"

"I can't help it! Especially when you're so terrifying!" He dodges once again.

"Just attack me back, ya wimp!" I say, and Mikey is able to make me trip and I fall to the floor.

"Now we're fighting!" I say and get up in one jump.

Finally a decent battle takes place between me and Mikey. It's like we're back to the old times, when I fought him for the first time. I'm actually having fun in this battle.

**Shredder's POV**

I watch as my worst enemies struggle to defeat their opponents. Karai arrives

"Is everything ready?"

"Yes, Master. I have the old script"

"Good, now, Karai, which one do you want to get rid of first? Take a look"

Karai reaches the window and watches the match.

"Leonardo..."

I ready the poison dart and prepare myself to throw it to the turtle named as Leonardo, but he defeats his opponent before I even have time to take aim.

"Too late, my dear. Choose another one"

At that moment, the turtle named as Raphael unlashes the final blow and defeats his brother, Donatello. Only two more battles are left, the one with the rat and the other with the girl and the turtle.

"Be quick"

"That girl..."

I smirk.

"You chose well. It will be easy for us with that girl out of the way" I say and take aim at the girl.

I shoot and the poison dart flies to her...

**Mara's POV**

I'm actually enjoying this battle. Mikey is actually fighting well. Suddenly, I hear something coming our way. I turn around, just to see a poison dart flying at full speed in my direction.

"Mara!"

I don't even have time to take a breath. Mikey falls to the floor. He put himself in front of me and the poison dart hit him instead.

"Oh my God! Mikey!" I say kneeing beside him.

The crowd is shocked. Where did that dart come from? I look around and find an open window in the first floor of the castle. I shake my head, not believing what I just saw.

*It cannot be! I killed him! He can't be alive!*

I look to the window again, and this time I see no one. I focus my attention on Mikey again. He's unconscious but I can see he's in pain.

"What happened in here?" Gyoji asks

"It's Mikey! He has been hit by a poison dart!" I scream, starting to cry.

**Master Splinter's POV**

*My son? Hit by a poison dart?*

I bow to my opponent.

"I will have to grant you the victory, old friend. My son has been wounded" I say

"I understand. It's a pity it has to happen this way, old friend"

He throws his weapon to me and I vanish from the battle, before the blade reaches me. I appear next to the Daimyo. I get up right away.

"I have to get to my son!" I say

"I agree, old friend. Gyoji took them to the infirmary. Me and my son will accompany you. It isn't the first time this happens. I will inform all the guards to check the whole castle. We will find the culprit and your son will recover. We have the best healer of all times. Don't worry, my friend" Daimyo says, putting a hand on my shoulder.

He gives the orders to the guards and then we walk to the infirmary. All my sons, Mara and Usagi are there. The healer is analyzing which poison hit my son. I knee beside him and the healer. Suddenly, the healer jumps back.

"The poison is so strong! I'll have to go get some extra herbs to cure him" The healer says and gets up.

"I will go with the healer. Maybe I can find some of the herbs I used on Leonardo last year when this also happened" Usagi says and leaves with the healer.

"Is he going to die?" Little Ue-sama asks Mara

"No. No, he won't. I hope..." Mara says

Gyoji appears once again.

"The finals are ready to start. You should get ready"

"Already?! But Mikey-" Raphael starts.

"No, Raph. We have to go. Mikey will be ok. Mara will stay here with him" Leonardo says

"I'll stay here too. I'm already out of the tournament. Might as well be useful here" Don says

"And I'll stay here too! My friend Mara might need my help!" Ue-sama says

Mara smiles.

"Thank you, little Ue" She says

"I have to go watch over the tournament. I cannot allow this to happen again" Daimyo says

"I will go with you, old friend. I see my son is in good hands" I say and get up

Me and the Daimyo leave the infirmary and go back to the tournament.

**Mara's POV**

I replace the wet cloth in Mikey's forehead. He's with a lot of fever.

"It's a pity you couldn't go on, Mara. I'm almost sure you would be able to win" Don says

I smile softly.

"It's ok. There are more important things..." I say and look at Mikey

"You are right. There are more important things" A voice comes from the door

Me, Don and little Ue look to the door, and me and Don get shocked with what we see.

"No! No! It's not possible!" I say

"Everything's possible!" Shredder says from the door

"But I killed you! In that explosion! There was no way you could have escaped!" I say

"Oh, but I escaped. You were only able to kill my army and Hun. Me and Karai managed to escape before the blow. After that, I found a beautiful passage to this peculiar world and I heard rumors of the War Staff. The most powerful Staff of all times, I like it. Such Staff could only belong to me! So I'm using the tournament as a diversion to get what I want"

"It was you! You were the one that threw that poison dart to Mikey!"

"Actually, it was supposed to hit you, but the stupid turtle couldn't help to give his own life to save the one he loves"

"He won't die!"

"Oh, but he will. The poison is too strong and spreads fastly. He is dying right now, you know?"

"That's enough!" Don shouts and attacks Shredder, but Shredder avoids the attack and throws Don against a wall.

"Now, I shall take a small prize and insurance that my plan will work" Shredder says and grabs little Ue.

I create a thunder ball.

"Put him down, now!" I say

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You see, you may hurt the little son of the Daimyo"

I make the thunder ball disappear.

"You did what was right... Soon you will witness my power! But unfortunately, your lover won't be there to see my triumph! MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!" Shredder says and leaves, with Ue-sama crying in his arms.

I stay terrified and desperate. I turn to Mikey and cry in his chest.

"Don't die, Mikey, don't die... You ARE my own true love, Mikey! Don't die! Please, don't die!"

**Karai's POV**

I walk to a dead end alley and take out the ancient script, starting to read it.

"I now call Gyoji, the Battle Nexus jury" I say

The jury appears in front of me, confused with what is happening.

"But what?- I should be in the tournament, announcing the begging of the match"

"But you will do something for me first. You will let me in the tournament, to replace the girl and the turtle that were sabotaged"

"I can't do that! It's against the rules!"

"Oh, but you will, because I am your master now and you will obey to me!" I say, showing the ancient script

"Oh! The script that created me!"

"Yes, and if you don't want me to squash it, I advise you to do as you're told"

"Y-yes master!" He says and disappears

All I have to do now is to move to the arena and prepare to battle.

**Leo's POV**

Me and Raph prepare ourselves to battle, but there's someone approaching the arena. We look until our jaws drop in shock. It's Karai...

"Karai?! But how?! Yer suppose ta be dead!" Raph says

"But I am here, and I am going to participate in this tournament" Karai says

"But how can that be? That's against the rules!" I say

"The rules have just been changed"

"Finalists of the Battle Nexus Tournament! You should pass through this portal and let luck decide who will be your opponent" Gyoji says, appearing along with a portal.

"Wait! This woman shouldn't participate. She didn't participate in the whole tournament! This is against the rules!" I say to Gyoji

"I'm afraid the rules have changed..." He says and disappears

"Well, that just leaves us ta get in tha portal and defeat Karai, whatever is happening, Karai should be part of some evil plan. We have ta stop it! An' tha only thing we can do now is ta defeat Karai as fast as possible!" Raph says

I nod and jump into the portal. Raph follows.

Mara's POV

I'm so desperate. I don't know what to do! Don is still unconscious and Mikey is dying right in front of me, and I can't do a damn thing about it! Mikey don't die!

*I don't have healing powers, but I hope this works! I can't lose you Mikey!* I think

I place a hand on Mikey's forehead and the other one in his chest, and then I focus my powers to heal Mikey, but nothing happens. Mikey is still dying...

"No... No..." I say and cry in his chest once again

"Love, my dear, love... Love is your true power..." A voice speaks in my head

"O-Oryna?..."

"Yes, my dear, I am here. Use your love and you will overpass all the obstacles..."

"My love... My love... for Mikey?..."

This time there's no answer, but I have to try. I can't lose Mikey! I lean in to him and kiss his lips gently. This time, something happens. Mikey starts breathing again!

"Ow, my head... What the shell happened?!"

"Oh Mikey!" I say and give him a bear hug.

"Hey! Cut it out, ya want me to stop breathing again?!"

"Sorry, I'm just happy that you're back, Mikey"

Mikey smiles

"It's good to be back!"

"M-Mikey? You're ok?" Don says, slowly walking to us

"Hey, bro, what happened to you?!"

"S-Shredder... Where is he?..." Don asks

"Shredder?! But he's dead right?"

"No, Mikey... He's here... And he wants the War Staff, and worse, he's getting to it. He has little Ue. The Daimyo will do everything for his son's sake, including delivering the War Staff to Shredder..." I say

"Then we have to stop him!" Mikey says

"It's not just that... He's using the tournament as a diversion. He was the one hitting you with the dart... He must want someone to enter the tournament instead of us... Karai!" I say

"What, Karai is alive too?!" Mikey says

"You're right, Mikey! We have to stop them!" I say and run towards the door.

I bump on Usagi who was returning along with the healer.

"Hey, I found the her-Wow!" He says, as I bump on him

"Sorry Usagi, there's no time to explain!" I say and continue running

Usagi sees Mikey and stays confuse

"Michelangelo? But how did you-?"

"Sorry, Usagi, we gotta go!" Mikey says and he and Don run right after me.

"I see he won't need these herbs anymore" The healer says and sits back

Usagi is confused, but finally decides what to do

"They need my help!" He says and runs after us

**Raph's POV**

Me and Leo cross the portal and find ourselves in front of each other.  
"Oh no!" Leo says

We're gonna have to fight each other!

"One of us has ta win, Leo. An' that one will have to fight Karai!" I say and point to Karai, who's fighting the blue alien, and is winning.

"And shell I don't want it ta be me!" I say, surprising Leo

I smirk

"Yer tha leader, Leo, ya always took tha bigger responsibilities. I don't see any reason ta change that" I say

"Raph..." Leo says

"Ya have a better trainin' than I do. I want ya to defeat Karai! An' that's an order, fearless leader" I say "Now do tha final blow so I can get tha heck outta here!"

".... Thanks Raph" Leo says

"Yer welcome!"

Leo readies his sword and strikes. I close my eyes and when I open them I'm seeing Leo down at the arena, ready to fight Karai.

"Good luck, Leo"

**  
Shredder's POV**

The final match is about to begin... The plan is going on just great... Everything is in its right place. Now... All that's left is to get that Staff. The Daimyo won't refuse to give it to me... I have the most important thing for him...

I look to the small boy and laugh evilly.

"Soon, this world and all the other worlds shall be mine!!"

**Master Splinter's POV**

I look down, to my son Leonardo getting ready to fight his opponent.

"How could this happen, Daimyo? That woman shouldn't be here! She never participated in the tournament!" I say

"I know, my friend. There must be something wrong with Gyoji"

The Daimyo summons Gyoji.

"You called, my lord?"

"Yes, Gyoji, I would like you to explain me how can that woman be participating in the tournament at this rank?"

"I-She... Oh forgive me, my lord, but the woman had the ancient script! The script that created me! I had to obey to her!"

"Hm... It seems that the woman had this planned from the beginning..."

"Yes, but what does she want with all this?" I ask

"A diversion, of course" A terrifying voice says from behind us

We turn to see who's the wielder of such voice. I can't avoid the shock. It's Shredder. It seems he didn't die with Mara's explosion after all.

"Surprised to see me? Oh no, I wouldn't do that" Shredder says, as he sees the Daimyo grabbing the War Staff "You see, I have another surprise for you..."

And in his hand a little boy, named as Ue, is fighting to brake free.

"Daddy!" The boy shouts

"I don't think you would want your little boy to get hurt, would you? Now, deliver me the War Staff!" Shredder says

"You planned this from the beginning! You stole the ancient script so Karai could enter the tournament just to cause a distraction so you could kidnap little Ue and reclaim the War Staff!" I say, getting ready to fight

"You are quite smart aren't you, rat? Now, deliver me the Staff or the boy gets it!" Shredder says, putting one of his claws on Ue's throat

"No, please! Don't hurt my son! I-I deliver you the War Staff..." Daimyo says and slowly puts the Staff on the ground

Shredder throws Ue away, not even bothering that there was no noise of him falling. He tries to reach the War Staff, but something in the Air enables him to move.

"W-what is this?!" Shredder roars

"That is the Air of Justice, dude!" A familiar voice shouts

Finally, two of my sons, Mara and Usagi appear. Ue is in Mara's arms. I understand it was her who trapped Shredder in the air.

"You again?! No, this time you won't ruin my plans!" Shredder says

"Oh yes we will! Just in case you haven't noticed, you are completely trapped!"Mara says

Shredder laughs evilly.

"You think your little powers can stop me from reaching what I want? You are completely wrong, little girl!" He breaks free from his invisible prison, making Mara fall to the ground

"H-How?..." Mara says

"Just in case you haven't noticed, I am an Utrom. Utroms studied those powers ever since they got their hands on it, and I just stole those studies and learned them myself! So I know how to break free of such invisible prisons and how to escape your explosions"

Then Shredder tries to reach the War Staff once again. The Daimyo isn't fast enough to get it back, but my sons and Usagi attack. They attack Shredder trying to get him away from the Staff. Mara grabs the Staff from the ground and looks at Shredder, but we all just look at him, as he has my son Michelangelo, with a knife on his throat. Mara gasps.

"I also know what your weak point is, my dear"

**Mara's POV**

Oh no... Now Shredder has Mikey! I have no choice but to give him the Staff. I catch Daimyo's eyes and notice a signal in his eyes telling me to deliver the Staff, that everything would be fine. So I throw the War Staff through the air. For a moment it flies through, but then Shredder catches it with a triumphant look, dropping Mikey.  
"Finally! The War Staff! The most distortive weapon of all times! And it's mine!" Shredder says

We all give a step back as he flies up to the arena. We all look at the arena, where Leo and Karai are still fighting.

"What tha? Leo!" Raph's voice can be heard from the place where the losers go.

We can see him jumping to the arena, trying to help Leo, as Shredder gets in the middle of it, sparks of red light surrounding him

"Hang on!" I say and use my powers to lift everyone in the air and take them to the arena.

Once in the chaos of the arena, we reach Leo, who's on the floor. He and Karai were hit by a spark of red light. Raph's already there, helping him up. Then we all look up to Shredder, lifting in the air, looking rather triumphant. The crowd is completely shocked and stunned. A huge portal appears in the sky and Shredder starts getting sucked in.

"What? What's happening?! This wasn't in my plans!" Shredder says

"Only someone with a strong heart can control the War Staff, and your heart, Shredder, is not stronger enough" The Daimyo says

Shredder looks angry and screams in fury. We all have to grab on to something so we don't get sucked up. I look up at Shredder, and to the War Staff in his hands. I let go, and let myself be sucked up, but Mikey grabs my hand.

"What the shell are you doing!?"

"Please, Mikey, I know what I'm doing. I'll be all right"

Mikey looks at me with a worried face, but then he reluctantly lets go. I let myself go until I reach Shredder and grab his arm, putting all of my strength on the flight against the flow, so we can hold on without being sucked up.

"W-why are you doing this? I was going to kill you all" Shredder says

"Just because you have the War Staff in your hands, and besides, no one deserves to be sucked up into that world, not even you, Shredder" I say, and continue my efforts to hold on.

"Daimyo!" I shout and make a final effort to send the War Staff to the Daimyo.

He is able to catch it and in one move, he makes the portal disappear, and everything goes back to normal. Except that me and Shredder are still in midair and I'm out of strength to be able to fly. So we both start falling fastly.

Fortunately, Mikey is able to catch me. Shredder didn't have that luck. He falls to the floor with a loud bak and his armor breaks to pieces, showing the Utrom inside. Daimyo orders his guards to arrest the intruders, including Karai.

"Wait! I still have a business to deal with her!" Leo says

We all look at him and understand he wants to finish the battle he started.

"Very well. You may continue, but independently of who wins, the woman shall be arrested" Daimyo says

Leo nods and continues his battle with Karai, but she doesn't show much will in fighting him. In fact, as soon as he starts attacking her, she guards her sword and flees.

"Guards! After her!" Daimyo orders and a couple of guards run after Karai.

"I think this shows who the winner is" Daimyo says

"But- It wasn't even a fair fight! I wasn't able to finish it" Leo says

"Hey! Ever since tha beginin', you were winnin' Karai. She was just holdin' on so Shredder could have what he wanted!" Raph says

"Yeah, Raph's right, Leo, and now Karai ran away, destroying her honor with one strike, so you're the true winner!" I say

We all cheer, even Leo accepts it and celebrates. Later we take knowledge that Karai was able to run away through a portal to our world. Daimyo got a bit mad, but he put that behind to deliver the prime to the winner.

"Here it is. You deserved it" He says, delivering the Battle Nexus Cup to Leo.

Then, Daimyo turns to me.

"And this is for you, Prodigy Child, for doing what's right, independently of who you have to help"

He puts an honor medal on my neck.

"Your father would be proud" He adds, almost making me cry.

"What's going to happen to Shredder now?" Don asks

"We already talked to the Utroms. Shredder will return to the Ice blocks, of which he should have never run away" Daimyo says "I shall take you back home now. You all did great things today, you deserve to rest"

We all smile and say goodbye.

"Goodbye, old friend. We shall return for the next tournament" Splinter says

"And I shall be waiting for you, old friend"

The guys says goodbye from Usagi and I turn to little Ue.

"Will we be able to play again soon?" He asks

"Sure, Ue. I will come back for the next tournament and then we can play once again. Until then, take care!" I say

Ue nods and smiles. I hug him and go to where the guys are, waiting to leave.

"I wish you all farewell" Daimyo says and with a move, he sends us back home.


	18. Epilogue: Being a ninja

**This is it! The very last chapter of this story. I hope you loved to read it as much as I loved to write it. See ya soon!**

**Attention: May contain strong language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any of the other characters from the TMNT world. I just own Mara and her story.**

**ENJOY! ;P**

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**Mara's POV**

With a flash, we are back into the lair.

"Oh! I was wondering where you had gone. Welcome back" Mikko says. She came to visit us and found the lair empty.

"We just came back from the Battle Nexus Championship!" I say

"And we have a new champion in the family! Leo!" Mikey, says putting an arm around Leo

"Yeah, but I won't be spreading that around like you do, Mikey"

"Why not? A hero can't a hero if no one knows who he is"

"But you're not a hero, Mikey. You just won the tournament once" I say

"And I could've won the tournament again, if it wasn't that dart!"

"I have my dough's. If that dart wouldn't come, I would have kicked your shell" I say

"Hah! You defeat me? Hah! I'm the Battle Nexus champion!"

"Guess everything's back to normal" Don says, smiling at me and Mikey fighting, once again

"Guess it is, and ya know, I don't think it'll eva change" Raph says and they all return to their daily routine.

Don has lots of things to fix in his lab, including the TV... Raph forgot the clever invention called remote and used his sai to turn off the TV. Raph went to lift some heights. Leo went to meditate along with Mikko, at the dojo, next to the small lake. Is it just me, or these two are getting really close... And Master Splinter went to his room.

"You baka!" I say, finishing my fight with Mikey

"Baka? What's baka?" Mikey says

"Baka means stupid or dumb in japanese" Leo says, opening one eye.

"Oh... Hey! Mara just called me baka!" Mikey says

I just roll my eyes and walk to Master Splinter's room, leaving Mikey behind.

"Master Splinter? Can I come in?" I ask, knocking on Master Splinter's door, but there's no answer.

I slowly get in and realize no one's in the room.

"That's weird... I could swear I saw him getting in..." I say, scratching my head, but as I scratch my elbow hits some kind of crystal ball and it falls from its shelf.

Thank God I'm a ninja! If I wasn't, I wouldn't have been fast enough to catch it before it hit the floor. As I get up and grab the crystal ball with my two hands, something happens.

I travel through space.

I look around. I'm in the middle of the clouds, with a Japanese tea table in front of me. I look beyond the table and I can't avoid but to feel surprise in my heart. It's my father, smiling at me...

"D-Daddy..."

"I'm so proud of you, my little Mara"

"I missed you so much, daddy..." I say, now starting to cry

"You look so much like your mother"

I just can't stop crying...

"You faced so many dangers. You faced your past, your fears, and you found a new family and love, and conquered your honor. You did so many great things, my dear... but it's over now. You can rest and enjoy what you won in this path of yours"

"But I don't have you... You're not here with me anymore..."

"I know, my dear, but you have your friends, and the one that is so special to you. And you will always remember, this is what being a ninja is all about... You face the darkness every day, just to reach the light. You fight your enemies, just to protect the ones you love. You face your fears and your past, just to conquer your honor. Don't ever forget this, little Mara"

"I'll never forget, daddy..."

My father smiles and starts vanishing

"I love you a lot, daddy..."

"I love you too, my dear Mara... I will always be there to guide you to your light..."

And that other world, with the calm clouds and my father vanishes and I return to Master Splinter's room. Master Splinter is looking at me.

"It is always good to see the ones we most care about once again" He says

"Yes... Yes, it is..."

Master Splinter smiles.

"Well, let's go. Donatello just fixed the television and we will all see a movie together. April and Casey are also here"

"Great!" I say, cheerful again.

I put the crystal ball back in its place and we go to the dojo where everyone is already sitting on the couch, waiting for the movie to start. Mikey saved a sit for me, next to him. We sit down and the movie starts. Mikey slowly puts his arm around me, as if he's trying to do it in a way I don't notice. I just smile.

"Duffers" I say, but I make no effort to take his arm off, and he seems happy for it.

*Cause this is what being a ninja is all about... Honor, Family, Friends, Faith... and Love...*

**THE END**


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